What is a Roth IRA?

A Roth IRA (Individual Retirement Account) is a type of retirement savings account that offers tax advantages for eligible individuals in the United States. Unlike traditional IRAs, contributions to a Roth IRA are made with after-tax dollars, meaning that contributions are not tax-deductible in the year they are made. However, qualified withdrawals from a Roth IRA, including earnings, are tax-free in retirement.

Key Features of Roth IRA:

• Tax-Free Withdrawals: One of the primary benefits of a Roth IRA is that qualified withdrawals made in retirement are tax-free. This includes both contributions and any investment earnings accumulated over time. As a result, Roth IRAs provide tax-free income in retirement, which can be advantageous for individuals in higher tax brackets or those who anticipate being in a higher tax bracket in retirement.
• No Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs): Unlike traditional IRAs, which require individuals to start taking minimum distributions from their accounts after reaching a certain age (currently 72 years old), Roth IRAs have no required minimum distribution (RMD) requirements during the lifetime of the original account holder. This allows individuals to maintain control over their retirement savings and potentially pass on assets to heirs tax-free.
• Flexible Contributions: Roth IRAs offer flexibility in contributions, allowing individuals to contribute to their accounts even after reaching retirement age, as long as they have earned income. Additionally, there are no age limits for contributing to a Roth IRA, unlike traditional IRAs, which have age restrictions for making contributions.

Roth IRA is a type of IRA that has certain tax advantages, enabling you to make contributions using post-tax dollars for further withdrawing earnings tax-free when you retire provided you meet the requirements. In contrast, mutual funds, which is a fund that makes collective investments in diversified portfolios of stocks, bonds, and other securities. The distinguishing feature is that a Roth IRA is an account holding investments with certain benefits regarding taxes, and the mutual fund is a product used in different accounts including a Roth IRA.