Looks like I'll just recharacterize now & get it over with. I'm guessing my brokerage is "less busy" this time of year.

Unless you're absolutely, positively certain you want to recharacterize, I would wait until after you've prepared your taxes (or otherwise determined that you're over the limit for making deductible contributions). There's no pressing need to make that decision now. And, as Phil corrected me, you have until October 15 of next year to do the recharacterization.

The only busy time for brokers and their IRA departments should be April 15 and October 15. As long as you avoid the couple of weeks preceding those dates, their workload should not be an issue.

Then I'll boost my 401K contribution a bit more.

Boosting your 401k contributions will reduce your AGI and potentially make you eligible for deductible IRA contributions if you're right on the borderline.


--Peter