If you think your current taxes while working are higher than you expect in retirement, favor the 401k which is deducted to reduce your taxable income. If you expect to be wealthy in retirement and in a higher tax bracket, favor the Roth which won't be taxed on withdrawal. If you can afford it, do both.
One key disadvantage: Roth IRA contributions are made with after-tax money, meaning there's no tax deduction in the years you contribute.
If you have a Roth 401(k), you cannot contribute more than what you earn at the company that holds your plan. With most retirement accounts, you can't access the money you contribute or any investment earnings before retirement age without incurring a 10% early withdrawal penalty, plus any applicable income taxes.
You're never too old to fund a Roth IRA. The earlier you start a Roth IRA, the longer you have to save and take advantage of compound interest. Even when you're close to retirement or already in retirement, opening this special retirement savings vehicle can still make sense under some circumstances.
You may not want to open a Roth IRA if you expect your income (and tax rate) to be higher at present and lower in retirement. A traditional IRA allows you to devote less income now to making the maximum contribution to the account, giving you more available cash.
If you contribute 5,000 dollars per year to a Roth IRA and earn an average annual return of 10 percent, your account balance will be worth a figure in the region of 250,000 dollars after 20 years.
If you're transitioning to a new job or heading into retirement, rolling over your 401(k) to a Roth IRA can help you continue to save for retirement while letting any earnings grow tax-free. You can roll Roth 401(k) contributions and earnings directly into a Roth IRA tax-free.
Roth IRA income limits
For 2025, single filers must have a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of less than $150,000, and joint filers less than $236,000, to make a full contribution. There are no age requirements for contributing to a Roth IRA, so individuals of any age with qualifying income can contribute.
The simple version says the Roth account needs to have been funded for five years before you withdraw any earnings—even after you've reached age 59½—or you could owe taxes. In addition, nonqualified withdrawals before that age could also trigger a 10% penalty.
A 401(k) plan is one of the best ways to save for retirement, and if you can get bonus “match” money from your employer, you can save even more quickly. A 401(k) plan is one of the best ways to save for retirement, and if you can get bonus “match” money from your employer, you can save even more quickly.
A Roth IRA allows you to withdraw your contributions at any time—for any reason—without penalty or taxes. For example: If you contributed $12,000 over 2 years and your Roth IRA has grown to $13,200, you can take out the original $12,000 without taxes and penalties.
If you don't have enough money to max out contributions to both accounts, experts recommend maxing out the Roth 401(k) first to receive the benefit of a full employer match.
You can still contribute to a Roth IRA (individual retirement account) and/or a traditional IRA as long as you meet the IRA's eligibility requirements. It usually makes sense to contribute enough to your 401(k) account to get the maximum matching contribution from your employer.
The Bottom Line. If you leave your job, your 401(k) will stay where it is until you decide what you want to do with it. You have several choices including leaving it where it is, rolling it over to another retirement account, or cashing it out.
Income Limits for Roth IRAs
In 2024, individuals whose MAGI is $161,000 and above and married couples filing jointly whose MAGI is $240,000 and above in 2024 cannot contribute to a Roth IRA. Conversely, you can never contribute more to your IRA than your earned income in that tax year.
Fidelity suggests saving at least 15% of your pretax income for retirement each year (including any employer match). That amount can be spread out among multiple retirement accounts, including a Roth IRA (where you contribute post-tax money), a traditional IRA, a 401(k) or a 403(b).
Contributions to a Roth IRA aren't deductible (and you don't report the contributions on your tax return), but qualified distributions or distributions that are a return of contributions aren't subject to tax. To be a Roth IRA, the account or annuity must be designated as a Roth IRA when it's set up.
If your employer doesn't offer a 401(k) match
Consider contributing to a traditional or Roth IRA first. Not all companies match their employees' retirement account contributions. When that's the case, choosing an IRA — and contributing up to the max — is generally a better first option.
Since a Roth conversion increases taxable income in the conversion year, drawbacks can include a higher tax bracket, more taxes on Social Security benefits, higher Medicare premiums, and lower college financial aid.
Deferring Social Security payments, rolling over old 401(k)s, setting up IRAs to avoid the mandatory 20% federal income tax, and keeping your capital gains taxes low are among the best strategies for reducing taxes on your 401(k) withdrawal.
The good news is that you're never too old to open a Roth IRA, and depending on your situation, it might be a smart move—even if you're close to retirement or already retired. A Roth IRA is a retirement account that lets your money grow tax-free.
The amount you can contribute to a Roth IRA depends on your annual income. The Roth IRA contribution limit for 2024 is $7,000 in 2024 and 2025 ($8,000 if age 50 and older). At certain incomes, the contribution amount is lowered until it is eliminated completely.