Roth IRAs are one of the most valuable tools available to help you save for retirement. But if you’re like many people, you might not be using it as effectively as possible and missing out on some of its best features. To help get you started, here are some tips on how to make the most of a Roth IRA:
There is no maximum income to contribute
While there is no limit to how much you can contribute, it’s important to remember that you will not be able to take advantage of a tax break if your income is too high. So, if you have a high income and think it might be difficult for you to save money each month, it might make sense not to contribute as much or even skip contributing one year altogether. Of course, some people may prefer the lower tax rate they get by contributing less than $6,000 per year rather than more—but it’s important to keep in mind that the government will take their share either way (and may do so sooner if they’re forced into retirement at an older age).
You can withdraw your contributions tax-free at anytime
Roth IRA contributions are always tax-free. You can withdraw your contributions at any time, even if you aren’t yet 59 1/2 and have already held the account for five years. And if you’ve had your Roth for less than five years, there’s no early withdrawal penalty to worry about: Those funds will be free and clear of taxes.
If you’re older than age 59 1/2 (or permanently disabled), then all good news: You can also withdraw earnings from your Roth IRA without paying an additional 10 percent on top of that tax hit.
It’s something you can leave to your heirs
If you want to leave your traditional or online Roth IRA to your heirs, there are a few ways to do so. You can leave it to your spouse, or if you’re married and have no children, then you can give it directly to them. If there are children in the family who don’t qualify for their own IRAs but would benefit from having an inheritance from their parents’ accounts (for instance, if they’ve just graduated college), then this is another option that might be worth considering.
Anyone can contribute to a Roth IRA
You can contribute to a Roth IRA no matter how much you earn, unlike the traditional IRA. As per the experts at SoFi, “Traditional IRA contributions are limited if your income falls into certain ranges.”
You also need to know that there are two kinds of IRAs: Roth IRAs and Traditional IRAs. The way they operate is different because they have different tax treatments (meaning different up-front taxes payable in exchange for better after-tax benefits).
You can borrow from your Roth IRA in certain situations
An important Roth IRA benefit is that you can take out a loan from your Roth IRA. You can take out a loan if you are older than 59 1/2 years old, the money will be used for a first home purchase or a qualified education expense, and it must be paid back within five years.
You will have to pay interest on the loan amount, and you cannot take out more than one loan per year. The interest rate on this type of withdrawal depends on current market rates as well as other factors such as your credit rating.
Hope this article helped you get a better understanding of Roth IRA. Now you can know if it is the right choice for you.