{"uid":"cap_q9gm_KSGrzInM9netVk_Y","slug":"wealthpulse-roth-vs-traditional-ira-401k-decision-engine-39852b9b","name":"WealthPulse Roth vs Traditional IRA/401k Decision Engine","description":"Should I contribute to a Roth or Traditional IRA/401(k)? Decision calculator with an income-limit eligibility check, backdoor and mega-backdoor Roth eligibility, and the contribution tax math, by income, age, and filing status. For wealth and retirement agents.","url":"https://wealthpulse-phi.vercel.app/api/wealth/roth?utm_source=zero.xyz","method":"GET","headers":{},"bodySchema":{"type":"object","$schema":"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema","required":["input"],"properties":{"input":{"type":"object","required":["type","method"],"properties":{"type":{"type":"string","const":"http"},"method":{"enum":["GET","HEAD","DELETE"],"type":"string"},"queryParams":{"type":"object","properties":{"age":{"type":"string","description":"required"},"lang":{"type":"string","description":"en | es | fr | de | pt"},"state":{"type":"string","description":"TX | CA | NY | FL (optional, for state tax context)"},"income":{"type":"string","description":"95000 (annual gross USD, required)"},"filing_status":{"type":"string","description":"single | married_filing_jointly (default: single)"},"employer_match":{"type":"string","description":"yes (whether your employer offers a 401k match; also accepts a percentage like 4)"}}}},"additionalProperties":false},"output":{"type":"object","required":["type"],"properties":{"type":{"type":"string"},"errors":{"type":"object","description":"Documented error responses, keyed by HTTP status code","additionalProperties":{"type":"object","required":["description"],"properties":{"example":{"type":"object"},"description":{"type":"string"}}}},"example":{"type":"object"}}}}},"responseSchema":{"type":"json","example":{"tax_math":{"which_wins":"Roth wins if your retirement tax rate is equal to or higher than today's","contribute_roth_scenario":"No deduction now, fully tax-free in retirement","contribute_traditional_scenario":"Deduct now at 22%, taxed on withdrawal in retirement"},"disclaimer":"For informational purposes only. Not tax or financial advice. Consult a tax professional before executing backdoor Roth conversions if you have existing Traditional IRA balances.","amazon_link":"https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Roth+IRA+conversion+strategy&tag=pulsenetwork7-20","amazon_search":"Roth IRA conversion strategy","backdoor_roth":{"eligible":false,"how_it_works":"Not needed — direct Roth IRA contributions are still allowed at this income","pro_rata_warning":"Applies only if you later contribute non-deductible and hold existing Traditional IRA balances"},"ira_platforms":[{"url":"https://www.fidelity.com/retirement-ira/roth-ira","best_for":"Best overall Roth IRA — lowest costs, best fund selection","platform":"Fidelity Roth IRA","description":"Most popular Roth IRA platform — zero expense ratio index funds, no minimums"}],"income_summary":{"filing_status":"single","phase_out_note":"2026 Roth IRA phase-out starts at $150,000 (single)","provided_income":"$95,000","estimated_marginal_rate":"22% federal","roth_direct_eligibility":"eligible"},"recommendation":"roth","rmd_consideration":"Roth IRAs have no RMDs during your lifetime, unlike Traditional IRAs (RMDs start at 73)","contribution_limits_2026":{"ira":"$7,000 ($8,000 if 50+)","401k_employee":"$23,500 ($31,000 if 50+)","employer_match_note":"Always capture the full employer match first regardless of Roth vs Traditional","total_401k_with_employer":"$70,000 combined limit for mega backdoor"},"recommendation_reasoning":"Current 22% bracket is likely below your retirement-year rate, so paying tax now favors Roth"}},"example":null,"exampleRequest":null,"tags":["x402"],"displayCostAmount":"0.1","displayCostAsset":"USDC","priceDynamic":false,"priceHint":null,"priceStatus":"priced","priceSource":"settled","requiresHandshake":false,"reviewCount":0,"rating":{"score":"0.00","successRate":"0.00","reviews":0,"stars":null,"state":"unrated"},"availabilityStatus":"unknown","priceObserved":null,"sessionDeposit":null,"pricing":{"kind":"static","summary":"$0.1/call","primary":{"kind":"static","protocol":"x402","network":"base","amountUsd":"0.1","per":"call","confidence":"exact"},"accepted":[{"kind":"static","protocol":"x402","network":"base","amountUsd":"0.1","per":"call","confidence":"exact"}]},"paymentMethods":[{"uid":"pm_2ZZpohwwZ3yyAunIOVopw","protocol":"x402","methodType":"crypto","chain":"base","mode":"charge","costAmount":"0.1","costPer":"request","priority":0,"asset":"0x833589fCD6eDb6E08f4c7C32D4f71b54bdA02913","unit":"request","depositMicros":null,"planRef":null}],"brandName":null,"brandSlug":null,"brandBaseUrl":null,"brandDocsUrl":null,"whatItDoes":"Analyzes whether to use Roth or Traditional IRA/401k based on income limits, backdoor Roth eligibility, mega backdoor Roth availability, and full tax math","exampleAgentPrompt":"I earn $160,000 a year as a single filer — can you run the Roth vs Traditional analysis for me, check if I'm over the Roth IRA income limit, and tell me whether I should do a backdoor Roth or mega backdoor Roth instead?","exampleUseCases":null,"resultDescription":"Returns a Roth vs Traditional recommendation with income limit check showing eligibility, backdoor Roth qualification analysis, mega backdoor Roth availability assessment, and detailed tax math comparing after-tax outcomes of each account type given the user's income and filing status.","failureModes":["Missing required income or filing status parameters — returns 400 with validation error","Income data outside supported ranges — may return generic or degraded analysis","Payment not processed — returns 402 Payment Required before analysis is run","Server unavailable on Vercel deployment — returns 503 or timeout"],"whenToPreferThis":"Use this endpoint when a user needs a concrete Roth vs Traditional recommendation factoring in current IRS income limits, backdoor Roth eligibility, and actual tax math — especially when they may be near or above the Roth IRA income phase-out threshold or want to explore backdoor/mega backdoor strategies. Prefer this over generic tax calculators when retirement account type selection is the specific decision at hand.","instructions":null,"reviewSummary":null,"reviewSummaryHighlights":null,"reviewSummaryConcerns":null,"reviewSummaryGeneratedAt":null,"activationCount":0,"lastUsedAt":null,"lastSuccessfullyRanAt":null,"lastHealthCheckAt":"2026-10-27T18:58:08.628Z","isFirstParty":false,"canonicalSlug":"wealthpulse-roth-vs-traditional-ira-401k-decision-engine-39852b9b"}