If you're looking to maximize your retirement savings, here are several of the best Roth IRA accounts to consider:
The Bottom Line
Roth IRAs are a popular retirement account choice for a reason: They're easy to open with an online broker and historically deliver between 7% and 10% in average annual returns. Roth IRAs harness the advantages of compounding, which means even small contributions can grow significantly over time.
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If you want an immediate tax break, consider a traditional IRA. If you like the idea of tax-free income in retirement, a Roth IRA is a good idea. Roth IRAs are a smart savings tool for young people just starting out, because they're likely to face higher income tax rates as they move along in their careers.
Yes, you can lose money in a Roth IRA. The most common causes of a loss include: negative market fluctuations, early withdrawal penalties, and an insufficient amount of time to compound. The good news is, the more time you allow a Roth IRA to grow, the less likely you are to lose money.
The IRS, as of 2021, caps the maximum amount you can contribute to a traditional IRA or Roth IRA (or combination of both) at $6,000. Viewed another way, that's $500 a month you can contribute throughout the year. If you're age 50 or over, the IRS allows you to contribute up to $7,000 annually (about $584 a month).
Key Takeaways
Roth IRAs offer several key benefits, including tax-free growth, tax-free withdrawals in retirement, and no required minimum distributions. An obvious disadvantage is that you're contributing post-tax money, and that's a bigger hit on your current income.
The first five-year rule states that you must wait five years after your first contribution to a Roth IRA to withdraw your earnings tax free. The five-year period starts on the first day of the tax year for which you made a contribution to any Roth IRA, not necessarily the one you're withdrawing from.
Answer: Given the tax characteristics of the two types of IRAs, it's generally better to hold investments with the greatest growth potential, typically stocks, in a Roth, while assets with more moderate returns, usually bonds, in a traditional IRA.
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