Is backdoor roth IRA permanent?

[VAer]

How long has the policy(backdoor Roth conversion) been around? Is there possibility that the policy will be cancelled? So that I should make roth conversion sooner than later?

Thanks.

[NCperson]

@VAer - there was discussion in Congress in the last year to close the loophole, but it did not pass. 

it has probably been around since the Roth IRA was passed into law in 1997 because it is the result of a loophole in the law and not a law that Congress intentionally passed. 

[VAer]

Ok, maybe I should make the conversion sooner than later, in case that it will be cancelled.

[dmertz]

It's been possible since 1998, the year that Roth IRAs first became available, but not all could take advantage of it prior 2010 because the those with an AGI over $100k ($150k if married filing jointly) were not permitted to do Roth conversions.  This AGI limit was eliminated for 2010 and beyond so that anyone could then do a Roth conversion.

[VAer]

@dmertz 

Thanks for the information.

[VAer]

So backdoor roth conversion has nothing to do with employer retirement plan rollover, correct?

Even if backdoor roth conversion is gone one day, I can still rollover employer retirement plan (TSP) to Roth IRA, correctly? I mean I have roth contribution to employer retirement plan, at least roth balance of employer retirement plan can be rollover to Roth IRA, correct?

[dmertz]

The tax-code definition of a Roth conversion is a movement of funds from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA.  Movement of funds from a traditional account in a qualified retirement plan like a 401(k) is referred to as a rollover, not a conversion, even though many people apply the term "conversion" to both.

The tax code presently permits a rollover from a designated Roth account to a Roth IRA and there is no reason to expect any change to that  The proposed legislation has been about making impermissible the conversion or rollover to Roth of after-tax amounts from traditional accounts, not restricting other rollovers and conversions.