The week leading up to your retirement is busy with farewells, an office party, and hurried completion of numerous major projects. But you look forward to finally being able to settle back, catch your breath, and enjoy a life of leisure.

Only one complication may slow you down:

You're 90 years old.

That might be an exaggeration, but a growing number of Americans do expect to work well beyond traditional retirement age. One-third of working Americans say they'll have to work beyond age 65, according to a recent poll by the Gallup organization.

Individual retirement accounts can play a major role in determining when you retire and how comfortable you'll be.

This is an opportune time to take stock of your IRAs in the context of overall investment planning and to review changes for the 2010 tax year that make conversions from traditional tax-deferred IRAs to taxable Roth IRAs attractive to a greater number of taxpayers.

First look at the big retirement picture, say the experts.

"I like a holistic, big-picture approach in which clients look at not only their IRA but their company 401(k) account to evaluate all retirement investments together," says Rick Fingerman, certified financial planner (CFP) and president of Financial Planning Solutions Inc., of Newton, Mass. "Before you put money in an IRA, for example, evaluate the investment choices in your 401(k) and also see if there is company matching."

Some of Fingerman's clients put all their IRA money in bonds because the stock choices are better in their company 401(k). All that money is headed to your retirement. Despite recent global turmoil, take a long-term, diversified investment view in a retirement account by including international stocks and bonds, he advises.

"We segment the IRA portfolio between what you will need in the next few years versus what you're not going to touch for many years," says Barry Picker, CPA and CFP with Picker & Auerbach CPAs, of Brooklyn, N.Y. "If you are looking out 10 to 15 years, equities are definitely the place to be, but if you need some of the money in the next three years you should be more conservative with that portion."

Many investors have their IRAs scattered among a number of financial firms. Consider consolidation for a number of reasons.

"I find many clients have multiple IRAs and possibly old 401(k) accounts that are dormant," says Fingerman, pointing out that many custodian firms charge an annual IRA fee that can add up with multiple accounts in different places.

From a record-keeping standpoint, combining dormant accounts can make sense, he says.

"As you get nearer to retirement, in order to make the accounting easier it may be useful to consolidate accounts," added Picker. "When you are still making contributions, however, it is sometimes better to have different accounts for your different investment strategies."

A boom in IRA activity in 2010, with volume up three and four times its usual level, centers on a new opportunity in Roth IRAs.

"There's been quite a pick-up in Roth IRA conversions, with changes in rules giving us a chance to be more proactive with resources and with guidance about retirement savings," says Stephen Cless, CFP and vice president with Charles Schwab Corp. "Also, a lot of people have just spoken to their accountants and reviewed their finances this time of year."

Starting with the 2010 tax year, the opportunity to convert a traditional tax-deferred IRA to a Roth taxable IRA is available to all taxpayers regardless of income. Previously, a conversion was only available to those who had a modified adjusted gross income of $100,000 or less.

You either can report all of the taxes on your 2010 return or take advantage of a one-time opportunity to spread the payment out over the 2011 and 2012 tax years.

Be sure that you are fully aware of the taxes you will owe, since the amount in your traditional IRA and your tax bracket determine how much that will be. It's also important to go over your personal situation to see if spreading out the tax would be beneficial in your case. It isn't always.

"We think most people are candidates for a Roth IRA conversion in some way, shape, or form," says Picker. "For example, realize that it isn't only an option for 2010 but rather is available going forward, and that there is no requirement that you must convert your entire (traditional) IRA portfolio to a Roth IRA."

Roth IRAs are different from traditional IRAs in that you don't get a tax deduction for making a contribution to a Roth IRA, but those contributions grow without being subject to taxation, and you don't have to pay any tax upon withdrawal in retirement. In addition, Roth IRAs aren't subject to the traditional IRA's minimum distribution requirements. That means you needn't begin withdrawals from your Roth IRA at age 70 as you must with a traditional IRA.

In terms of making new contributions, both types of IRAs have a 2010 contribution limit of $5,000, or if you will be 50 or older by year-end, you can contribute an extra $1,000. Check income limits on contributions that are applicable to your own personal situation.