In many cases, a Roth IRA can be a better choice than a 401(k) retirement plan, as it offers a flexible investment vehicle with greater tax benefits—especially if you think you'll be in a higher tax bracket later on.
The biggest benefit of the Roth 401(k) is this: Because you already paid taxes on your contributions, the withdrawals you make in retirement are tax-free. ... By contrast, if you have a traditional 401(k), you'll have to pay taxes on the amount you withdraw based on your current tax rate at retirement.
A Roth 401(k) has higher contribution limits and allows employers to make matching contributions. A Roth IRA allows your investments to grow for a longer period, offers more investment options, and makes early withdrawals easier.
Most financial planning studies suggest that the ideal contribution percentage to save for retirement is between 15% and 20% of gross income. These contributions could be made into a 401(k) plan, 401(k) match received from an employer, IRA, Roth IRA, and/or taxable accounts.
If you expect to be in a lower tax bracket in retirement, a traditional 401(k) may make more sense than a Roth account. But if you're in a low tax bracket now and believe you'll be in a higher tax bracket when you retire, a Roth 401(k) could be a better option.
One key disadvantage: Roth IRA contributions are made with after-tax money, meaning there's no tax deduction in the year of the contribution. Another drawback is that withdrawals of account earnings must not be made before at least five years have passed since the first contribution.
A Roth IRA or 401(k) makes the most sense if you're confident of having a higher income in retirement than you do now. If you expect your income (and tax rate) to be lower in retirement than at present, a traditional IRA or 401(k) is likely the better bet.
The maximum salary deferral amount that you can contribute in 2019 to a 401(k) is the lesser of 100% of pay or $19,000. However, some 401(k) plans may limit your contributions to a lesser amount, and in such cases, IRS rules may limit the contribution for highly compensated employees.
By age 40, you should have three times your annual salary. By age 50, six times your salary; by age 60, eight times; and by age 67, 10 times. 8 If you reach 67 years old and are earning $75,000 per year, you should have $750,000 saved.
Average 401k Balance at Age 22-24 – $24,987; Median – $10,361.
You can have multiple traditional and Roth IRAs, but your total cash contributions can't exceed the annual maximum, and your investment options may be limited by the IRS.
Contribution Limits
The contributions for Roth IRAs and 401(k) plans are not cumulative, which means that you can max out both plans as long as you qualify to contribute to each.
In most cases, your tax situation should dictate which type of 401(k) to choose. If you're in a low tax bracket now and anticipate being in a higher one after you retire, a Roth 401(k) makes the most sense. If you're in a high tax bracket now, the traditional 401(k) might be the better option.
“The main thing you'll want to consider when choosing between Roth and Traditional accounts is whether your marginal tax rate will be higher or lower during retirement than it is now,” says Young. ... If your tax rate is likely to be lower in retirement, you can use Traditional contributions to defer taxes instead.
If you're age 50 or over, the IRS allows you to contribute up to $7,000 annually (about $584 a month). If you can afford to contribute $500 a month without neglecting bills or yourself, go for it!
Advantages of a Roth IRA
You don't get an upfront tax break (like you do with traditional IRAs), but your contributions and earnings grow tax-free. Withdrawals during retirement are tax-free. There are no required minimum distributions (RMDs) during your lifetime, which makes Roth IRAs ideal wealth transfer vehicles.
Fidelity Investments reported that the number of 401(k) millionaires—investors with 401(k) account balances of $1 million or more—reached 233,000 at the end of the fourth quarter of 2019, a 16% increase from the third quarter's count of 200,000 and up over 1000% from 2009's count of 21,000.
Regardless of how much you save, your goal is to save enough to support a lifestyle that suits you. Can a couple retire with $2 million? It's certainly possible, though it really comes down to creating a retirement savings plan that's tailored to you and your partner.
It's Not Too Late
We recommend you save 15% of your gross income for retirement, which means you should be investing $688 each month into your 401(k) and IRA. ... People age 45–54 are hitting their peak earning years, with the typical household income running a little more than $84,000 a year.
How Does a Mega Backdoor Roth Work? A mega backdoor Roth lets you roll over up to $45,000 from a traditional 401(k) to a Roth IRA, all without paying any taxes you'd normally owe with such a conversion.
That's because 401(k)s come with generous contribution limits -- much higher limits than IRAs. Right now, 401(k)s max out at $19,500 for savers under 50 and $26,000 for those 50 and over.
The Excess Amount
If the excess contribution is returned to you, any earnings included in the amount returned to you should be added to your taxable income on your tax return for that year. Excess contributions are taxed at 6% per year for each year the excess amounts remain in the IRA.
The Roth IRA five-year rule says you cannot withdraw earnings tax-free until it's been at least five years since you first contributed to a Roth IRA account. This rule applies to everyone who contributes to a Roth IRA, whether they're 59 ½ or 105 years old.
You can open a Roth IRA account with as little as $500. Your account is professionally managed for a very low fee of 0.25% of your account balance. The first $5,000 in your account is managed free.
An adult has to open a custodial Roth IRA account for a minor. That's age 18 in most states and age 19 or 21 in others. 5 These accounts are basically the same as standard Roth IRAs, but minimum investment amounts may be lower.