Advantages and Disadvantages of a Roth IRA

This is an article that I wrote for Moneycrashers on the Advantages & Disadvantages of a Roth IRA.

Planning your retirement is one of the most important decisions that you will ever make concerning your financial future. Many people have questions about the different types of retirement accounts available and which one is the right plan for them. Let’s take a look at one type of retirement account known as the Roth IRA. A Roth IRA is an individual retirement account which allows an individual to set aside a specified dollar amount of income after taxes. This tax-advantaged retirement account derives its name from United States Congressman William Victor Ross Jr., who was the legislative sponsor of the bill creating this plan.

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Roth IRA’s vs. Traditional IRA’s

Planning for retirement is one of the most critical endeavors that an individual must undertake. Selecting the proper retirement plan can help to ensure a smooth transition into retirement.  Today we will take a look at two of the more popular retirement plans available: the Roth IRA and the Traditional IRA. An individual retirement account (IRA) is a personal retirement savings plan for those who receive taxable income during the year. Think of an IRA as an umbrella and you can put almost anything that you want under it. An IRA may be invested in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, certificates of deposits, money markets and real estate. Individual retirement accounts can either be set up with a bank, broker, credit union or a mutual fund.

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