Roth IRA
A retirement account funded with after-tax dollars, with qualified withdrawals being completely tax-free.
What is Roth IRA?
A Roth IRA is an individual retirement account funded with after-tax contributions — meaning no upfront tax deduction — but qualified withdrawals in retirement are 100% tax-free, including all earnings. This makes Roth IRAs especially valuable for younger earners in lower tax brackets who expect higher income (and rates) in retirement. For 2025, contributions are limited to $7,000 ($8,000 if 50+) and phased out at higher incomes ($150,000–$165,000 for single filers). Contributions (not earnings) can be withdrawn at any time penalty-free, providing flexibility unavailable in Traditional IRAs.
Example
A 25-year-old contributing $7,000/year to a Roth IRA for 40 years at 7% average return accumulates approximately $1.47 million. Every dollar of growth is withdrawn tax-free in retirement — versus a Traditional IRA where the same amount would be taxed as ordinary income.
Source: IRS — Roth IRAs