What's the difference between Roth and traditional IRAs?
- What is an IRA?
- What's the difference between Roth and traditional IRAs?
- Why is an IRA a good deal?
- Who can put money into an IRA?
- How much should I put into an IRA?
- When can I access money in my IRA?
- When are IRA withdrawals penalty-free?
- When do I have to start taking the money out of an IRA?
- What if I need the money in my IRA before retirement?
- How should I invest the money?
- How do my IRA withdrawals get taxed in retirement?
- Where should I open an IRA?
- Should I take money from my IRA to pay off debt
The main difference is when you pay income taxes on the money you put in the plans. With a traditional IRA, you pay the taxes on the back end - that is, when you withdraw the money in retirement. But, in some cases, you may escape taxes on the front end - when you put the money into the account.
With a Roth IRA, it's the exact opposite. You pay the taxes on the front end, but there are no taxes on the back end.
And remember, in both traditional and Roth IRAs, your money grows tax free while it's in the account.
There are other differences too. While almost anyone with earned income can contribute to a traditional IRA, there are income limits for contributing to a Roth IRA. So not everyone can take advantage of them.
Roth IRAs are more flexible if you need to withdraw some of the money early.
With a Roth IRA, you can leave the money in for as long as you want, letting it grow and grow as you get older and older. With a traditional IRA, by contrast, you must start withdrawing the money by the time you reach age 70½.
