going from 24% to 32% would suck
I think
Not really. You understand the concept that if you're single and you make $200K, that not the entire $200K is taxed at 32%, right? The first 191,950 is taxed at the lower rates shown there. Only the $8050 between $191,950 and $200,000 is taxed at 32%.
So going from an AGI of $190,000 to $200,000 would increase your annual tax bill by $3,044 but would put an additional $6,956 in your pocket.
Making a higher income is pretty much universally good, even if you get bumped up into a higher tax bracket.
EXCEPT when we look at things like this:
Depends on how far and deep you dip in.
We would have to get well into the 37% bracket to convert everything and that is NOT happening on my watch.
We will go right up to the top of the 24% barrier and will keep doing so until we are done.
In this case Badge is not "earning" more money via his job, so it's not like he's contemplating whether or not he wants a raise. But these conversions get counted as income, so he is making a choice to do them now or to defer them to later.
Which is why it's best to only do as much each year as necessary to remain in the 24% bracket. Pulling forward everything else and bumping him into the next bracket just gives more money to the taxman while NOT actually benefiting him. Since it's merely a conversion from one form of investment to another and doesn't have to happen in 2024, it makes sense to do them at the lowest possible tax rate.
