FoolishFlyer,

I read through the rest of the board and did not see any replies to your message, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Good news! You are absolutely right in your assessment of the situation.

Since your IRA is after-tax and nondeductible, the only money you would be out to switch to a Roth is: a) tax on any gain earned so far, and b) any fee, usually nominal, that is charged for making the switch. You indicated you can pay this out of other non-IRA funds, which is all the better.

The angst over whether to Roth is usually associated with either: a) converting a tax-deferred vehicle to a Roth, or b) choosing a type for your ongoing contribution. In your case, neither applies, so I'd say it is a "no-brainer" to switch to a Roth, but if I did I'd have to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune -- er, I mean, contend with somebody on the board who would feel obliged to point out that nothing is a no-brainer.

Good for you for getting started young. Best of luck to you.

JustaJester