Roth conversions to secure tax-free withdrawals during retirement are gaining popularity as Gen X gets closer to retirement, but financial advisers warn that the decision to convert should be carefully considered. Roth conversions are asset transfers from a pre-tax retirement account such as a traditional IRA or 401(k) into a Roth IRA. People pay income tax on the converted amount in the year of the transfer, but the money grows tax-free and withdrawals during retirement are tax-free. Roth accounts also a ...