A Complete Guide on Roth IRA

Saving for retirement is a necessity for every individual. It is crucial to explore your options and pick the right investment vehicle that offers extra savings and an additional edge when it's time to take your money out. This is where the Roth IRA comes in. 

A Roth IRA is an individual retirement account that offers additional perks that can’t be found in Traditional IRAs. One of the biggest benefits of a Roth IRA investment is how tax-friendly it is. Although you are not exempted from tax on Roth IRA contributions, the money you save and withdraw at the time of retirement is completely tax-exempted, provided you follow the withdrawal rules. 

A Roth IRA is one of the best investments to have a tax-free income stream at the time of retirement. In this blog, we will provide an in-depth guide on Roth IRA investments, including how It works, benefits, and eligibility for a Roth IRA.  

Let’s get started. 

What is a Roth IRA Account?

A Roth IRA is an individual retirement account used to build a nest egg for retirement. However, unlike traditional IRAs, a Roth IRA is a special tax-exempted IRA to which you can contribute after-tax dollars. 

One of the major perks of a Roth IRA is that your contributions and earnings can grow tax-free. Once you reach 59 ½ and have held the Roth IRA for at least five years, you can withdraw your earnings and contributions without paying any federal taxes. In simple words, you pay taxes on the money deposited into the Roth IRA, and all future withdrawals are tax-free. 

Roth IRAs and traditional IRAs are not so different. Both are individual retirement accounts, with a distinction on how they are taxed. Roth IRAs are typically funded with after-tax dollars. The contributions are not tax-exempted but the withdrawn funds are completely tax-free. 

How Does a Roth IRA Work?

Roth IRAs are funded by after-tax dollars. You can put money you have already paid taxes on into a Roth IRA account, and once you withdraw at the time of retirement, all your withdrawals will be exempted from tax. 

Money deposited into a Roth IRA can come from a variety of sources like- 

• Regular contributions
• Spousal IRA contributions
• Transfers
• Rollover contributions
• Conversions

All Roth IRA contributions must be made in cash and they can’t be in the form of real estate or securities. Moreover, the IRS also limits how much money can be deposited into an individual retirement account annually, adjusting the amounts regularly. These limits apply across all types of IRAs, meaning you can’t contribute more than the maximum amount even if you have multiple accounts. 

When you have a qualifying source of earned income as listed above, the next step is to find a suitable broker and open your Roth IRA account. Over the long term, these investments could also earn returns. 

This is when you can reap the real benefits of a Roth IRA. Your investment growth is generally taxed when you withdraw the money. However, because you didn’t receive a tax benefit when you funded the account, all your withdrawals are now tax-free. And, unlike traditional IRAs or 401(k), you are not required to take required minimum distributions(RMDs) after a certain age. 

And in case you need to withdraw money before retirement, you can withdraw the contributions but not the investment earnings at any time without any penalties or additional taxes. 

Allowable Investments in a Roth IRA

Once you have contributed your after-tax dollars into a Roth IRA, there are a variety of investment options that you can choose from. Some of these include- 

• Individual stocks
• Individual bonds
• ETFs
• Index funds
• Mutual funds
• Certificate of Deposits(CDs)
• Money market funds

You cannot contribute cryptocurrencies directly to your Roth IRA. However, some Bitcoin IRAs allow individuals to invest in cryptocurrencies directly in their retirement accounts. According to the IRS, there are other assets like life insurance contracts and derivative trades that are not permitted within an individual retirement account. 

If you are looking for a wide catalogue of investment options, you can open a Roth self-directed IRA(SDIRA). It is a special category of Roth IRA in which the investor manages their investments, not the financial institution. These IRAs unlock a plethora of new investment options including directly investing in digital assets. 

You can also hold investments that typically are not a part of a retirement portfolio including, gold, partnerships, investment real estate, and even a franchise business. 

Read Also:- New Tax Brackets Announced in Canada for 2024

Are Roth IRAs Insured?

It is important to note that IRAs fall under a different insurance category than traditional deposit accounts, meaning coverage of IRA accounts is not as solid. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.(FDIC) offers insurance protection up to $250,000 for traditional and Roth IRA accounts, however, account balances are not viewed individually. 

Allowed Contributions to a Roth IRA

The IRS limits how much money you can contribute to a Roth IRA account and also the type of money you can deposit. Generally, you can only contribute earned income to a Roth IRA. 

If you working with an employer, you can fund your Roth IRA with salaries, wages, commissions, bonuses, and other amounts paid to the individual for the services that they perform. 

If you are self-employed or running a business, you can contribute your net earnings from your business. 

Money related to divorce like alimony, child support, or settlement amount can also be contributed if it's related to taxable alimony received from a divorce settlement executed before December 31, 2018. 

Other allowed contributions to a Roth IRA account include- 

• Rental income or other profits from property maintenance
• Interest income
• Pension or annuity income
• Stock dividends and capital gains
• Passive income earned from a partnership in which you do not provide any substantial services

Eligibility Criteria for a Roth IRA

As mentioned above, the IRS limits the amount of money and the type of income you can contribute to a Roth IRA account. However, that’s not all, you must also meet certain requirements regarding filing status and modified adjusted gross income(MAGI). Individuals whose income is above a certain level, as decided by the IRS, are ineligible and cannot contribute to a Roth IRA. 

Here is a simple table to help you better understand the eligibility criteria- 

Category	Income Range for Contribution(2023)	Income Range for Contribution(2024)
Married, filing jointly	Full: Less than $218,000, Partial: From $218,000 to less than $228,000	Full: Less than $230,000, Partial: From $230,000 to less than $240,000
Married, filing separately, lived with spouse at any time during a year	Full: $0, Partial: Less than $10,000	Full: $0, Partial: Less than $10,000
Single, Head of Household, Married, filing separately, without living with a spouse at any time during the year.	Full: Less than $138,000, Partial: From $138,000 to less than $153,000	Full: Less than $146,000, Partial: From $146,000 to less than $161,000

An individual who earns less than the income threshold shown in the table can contribute 100% of their income or contribution limit, whichever is less. 

An individual who earns more than the income threshold must subtract their income from the maximum level and then divide it by the income range to determine the percentage they are allowed to contribute to a Roth IRA account. 

What is a Spousal Roth IRA?

If you are married, you can maximize your contributions with the Spousal Roth IRA. A spousal Roth IRA is when a working spouse makes contributions to a Roth IRA account on behalf of their partner who earns little or no income. It is an exception to the rule where only individuals with earned income can fund a Roth IRA. 

Spousal Roth IRA contributions are also subjected to the same rules as regular Roth IRA contributions. The couple must file as ‘married, filing jointly’ on their tax returns, fall under the income limit for Roth IRAs, and have the account solely in the non-working spouse’s name. 

The spousal Roth IRA is held separately from the Roth IRA of the spouse contributing, as Roth IRAs cannot be joint accounts. 

These requirements must be met for an individual to be eligible to make a spousal Roth IRA contribution- 

• The couple must file their tax returns as ‘married, filing jointly.’
• The individual making the spousal Roth IRA contributions must have eligible income. 
• The total contribution for both spouses must not exceed the taxable compensation reported on their joint tax return. 
• Contributions to one Roth IRA cannot exceed the contribution limits for one IRA.

Roth IRA Withdrawal Rules

Here are a few withdrawal rules for a Roth IRA account that you must follow- 

Roth IRA Withdrawal

• You can withdraw your original contributions, not the investment earnings without owing any taxes or penalties, no matter how long ago your account was opened. This is because the money you contributed is already taxed. 
• When you withdraw money from a Roth IRA, the IRS assumes that your original contributions come out first instead of your investment earnings. 
• People at the age of 59 ½ who have held their accounts for at least five years can withdraw their contributions, including earnings, without any taxes or penalty. 

Roth IRA Withdrawal Penalties

All qualified withdrawals in a Roth IRA account are tax-free. If you withdraw earnings before 59 ½ or don’t meet the requirements for a qualified withdrawal, the IRS may penalize you in the form of taxes or a possible penalty. 

Examples of qualified withdrawals before the age of 59 ½ include first home purchase, qualified education expenses, health insurance premiums while unemployed, having a baby or adopting, or disability-related expenses. 

• For unreimbursed medical expenses: If the adjustment is used to pay medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of the individual’s adjusted gross income(AGI)
• Paying Medical Insurance: If the individual has lost their job or is unemployed and has to pay premiums for medical insurance. 
• For qualified education expenses: If the expenses are directed to qualified education expenses of the Roth IRA owner or their dependents. These qualified expenses include  tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for the enrollment 
• For childbirth or adoption expenses: If the withdrawals are made within a year of the event and don’t exceed $5,000

It is important to know and follow all the Roth IRA rules to avoid getting penalized at the time of withdrawal. 

Read Also:- A Complete Guide to Fixed Income: Types and How to Invest in Fixed Income

The Five-Year Rule

Your withdrawals from a Roth IRA account may be subjected to taxes and/or a 10% penalty depending on your age and whether you follow the five-year rule.

If your withdrawal conditions meet the five-year rule- 

Under age 59 ½: Earnings are subjected to penalties and taxes. There are certain conditions where you can avoid the penalties like using the money to buy a first home, unreimbursed medical expenses, or if you have a permanent disability. If you pass away, your beneficiary may take the distributions without any penalties or taxes. 

Age 59 ½ and older: No penalties or taxes. 

If your withdrawal conditions don’t meet the five-year rule- 

Under age 59 ½: Earnings are subjected to taxes and penalties. You can avoid the penalties but not the taxes if you use the money to buy a first home, unreimbursed medical expenses, or if you have a permanent disability. 

Age 59 ½ and older: Earnings are subjected to taxes but not penalties. 

Final Words

In conclusion, a Roth IRA is an individual retirement account that allows you to withdraw money that is tax-exempted after the age of 59 ½ and after having held the account for at least five years. These are funded with after-tax dollars so you have to pay taxes on your initial contributions, however, when you withdraw the money at the time of retirement, all your contributions and earnings are tax-free. 

It is an especially beneficial option for individuals who anticipate they will be in a higher tax bracket at the time of retirement, as the withdrawn money is not taxable unlike traditional IRAs or 401(k). 

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)