Roth IRAs offer tax-free retirement income — but for some retirees, a traditional IRA saves more money
drazenphoto/Envato There are a lot of tools to help you save for retirement: from personal savings to workplace plans to brokerage accounts. For many Americans, putting money aside in an individual retirement account (IRA) is part of their long-term savings strategy. A Roth IRA can be particularly appealing: Since you contribute after-tax dollars, your withdrawals…
There are a lot of tools to help you save for retirement: from personal savings to workplace plans to brokerage accounts. For many Americans, putting money aside in an individual retirement account (IRA) is part of their long-term savings strategy.
A Roth IRA can be particularly appealing: Since you contribute after-tax dollars, your withdrawals in retirement are tax-free. Plus, your investments grow tax-free, too.
Must Read
Another bonus? With Roth IRAs, you don’t have to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) when you turn 73, so you have tax-free cash at your disposal whenever you need it in retirement.
On the other hand, contributions to traditional IRA are tax-deductible. So you pay the tax later, when you withdraw the money in retirement. You can start making withdrawals at age 59 ½, but if you need that cash sooner, you’ll have to eat a 10% penalty and pay taxes.
Still, for some retirees, a Roth IRA, even though it provides tax-free income in retirement, may not be the best savings tool. Here’s what to consider before you invest.
When a Roth IRA may not be the best option
The main reason you might not want to consider a Roth IRA is if you’re currently in a high tax bracket. If you’re looking to reduce your tax bill for the year, then a traditional IRA could help with that by lowering your taxable income.
If you expect your taxable income to drop in retirement, you might want to benefit from those tax breaks now through a traditional IRA. On the other hand, if you expect to be in the same tax bracket in retirement, then a Roth IRA could still make sense.
Another consideration is if you plan on making charitable donations in retirement. With a traditional IRA, you can transfer money directly to an eligible charity through Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs).
With traditional IRAs, you’ll need to start taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) by April 1 of the year after you turn 73, and then by Dec. 31 each year onward. The amount you need to withdraw is based on your account balance from the prior year and your life expectancy.
You can use QCDs to take your required minimum distributions and avoid paying taxes at the same time. That’s because a QCD made from a traditional IRA is excluded from taxable income.
With a Roth IRA, there aren’t RMD requirements (but after you die, your heirs will need to take RMDs unless the money is going to your surviving spouse).
So, with a Roth IRA, you don’t get the same tax benefit from QCDs. If charitable giving is part of your retirement strategy, you may want to take advantage of the tax break on your contributions through a traditional IRA and then get a second tax break through QCDs.
Another issue worth considering is whether you’ll need that money before you retire. With a Roth IRA, you can withdraw the amount you’ve contributed — made with after-tax dollars — at any time without penalties or taxes. Keep in mind you can’t withdraw any gains you’ve made on your deposits until age 59 ½, without penalty.
That could be handy in an emergency, but it also makes it tempting to access that money for something else, like a vacation. The penalties and taxes that come with traditional IRAs could help keep impulse early withdrawals at bay.
Read More: Vanguard reveals what’s coming for U.S. stocks — and it could be bad news for this group of investors
Other considerations
For Roth IRA contributions, your exact contribution limit depends on your tax filing status and Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). And, if you make a lot of money, you won’t actually be eligible to make contributions.
In 2026, individual filers can make a contribution of up to $7,500 (or $8,600 if you’re 50+) so long as your MAGI is less than $153,000. If you’re married filing jointly, the full contribution is allowed if your MAGI is less than $242,000.
Individual filers with a MAGI between $153,000 and $168,000 can make what’s referred to as a partial or phase-out contribution, based on an IRS formula. If your MAGI is more than $168,000 (or $252,000 for a couple filing jointly), you’re no longer eligible to contribute to a Roth IRA.
However, your IRA contribution limit doesn’t apply to rollover contributions. Assets converted from other retirement accounts, including traditional IRAs, 401(k)s and 403(b)s, to a Roth IRA are still subject to tax in the year you make the switch. But future withdrawals are tax-free.
Depending on your personal circumstances, you may see benefits to both traditional and Roth IRAs, and there’s no reason why you can’t contribute to both. In fact, it could be another way to diversify your retirement savings.
You can split the annual contribution limit between the two types of accounts, but you’ll need to keep in mind your ability to contribute to a Roth IRA if you have a MAGI higher than $153,000 (or $242,000 for couples filing jointly).
What To Read Next
Join 250,000+ readers and get Moneywise’s best stories and exclusive interviews first — clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.
This article originally appeared on Moneywise.com under the title: Roth IRAs offer tax-free retirement income — but for some retirees, a traditional IRA saves more money
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
