Sharla adds, "It's also easier to monitor risk if everything is in one spot. If they have it in one place, it's easier for them to manage and diversify their risks and make sure they balance."

Regarding the question about taking withdrawals from an IRA and putting them in a Roth account, Sharla says that will be difficult, because you cannot contribute to an IRA once you are 70 1/2 years old. However, you can take some of your IRA and convert it to a Roth.

"Even if you're going to put your money into a Roth, you still have to take the required minimum distribution from a traditional qualified account," Sharla says. "After you take the minimum distribution for the year, you can convert whatever portion you want to a Roth. But when you do that, it triggers tax due on the retirement account, and that tax due cannot come out of the conversion."

Because of that, she says, you need to have cash flow available outside of your retirement accounts to pay for the conversion. And that means, Norma, that you need "to examine it very carefully and make sure it makes sense," Sharla says.

So, Norma, it looks like consolidation may be the way to go in this case. Let me know what you decide and how it turns out.

If you have a financial question, please send it by e-mail to gkratz@desnews.com or by regular mail to the Deseret Morning News, P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, UT 84110.

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E-mail: gkratz@desnews.com