Part 2/8:
At the tender age of 18, Gaby Lapera unintentionally opened a traditional IRA, setting the stage for a financial ordeal that would follow. The timeline clashed with significant corporate changes, as Bank of America acquired Merrill Lynch, the administrator of her retirement account. This merger created a peculiar "dead zone" where her IRA was caught, leading to challenges in accessing her funds. The process of conversion to a Roth IRA was convoluted, but she ultimately achieved it, realizing the potential tax benefits of a Roth account.