HUNT VALLEY, Md. (TheStreet) — Among the theories on how to withdraw funds from an IRA in the most tax efficient manner, here are three popular concepts:

Withdraw some funds in your 60s so less is required to be withdrawn in your 70s based on the required minimum withdraw.

Wait until the end of each year before withdrawing.

Convert to a Roth IRA to eliminate all future taxation since tax rates are supposedly going higher.

Each concept has some merit, but assumptions are necessary to validate them.

Withdrawing from your IRA in your 60s when there is no need makes zero sense today. There are better strategies.

The idea of withdrawing from your IRA in your 60s when there is no need makes zero sense today, even if it did two years ago. The idea is to take money out and pay taxes on it so your balance is not so large when you turn 70.5 (the age you are forced to take required minimum distributions). The concept was flawed to begin with, but now is completely without merit since you are now eligible to do a Roth conversion.

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