Questions tagged [ira]

In the United States, an IRA is an Individual Retirement Arrangement, a tax-deferred retirement account.

Taxpayers are generally allowed to deduct contributions to the IRA from their income taxes in the year they are made, up to some government determined limit. Earnings are not subject to ongoing taxes. During retirement, withdrawals from the account are taxed as regular income. This type of IRA is sometimes referred to as a "Traditional IRA" to contrast with the newer "Roth IRA".

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Saving for retirement: How much is enough?

How to save I'm in my late twenties and am trying to get started off on the right foot saving for retirement. I have learned that retirement savings should usually be placed in retirement accounts in the following order: Roth 401(k) - Just enough…
Stainsor
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How can someone profit from a horse as an investment?

A recent Forbes article states that you can invest in horses and livestock in an IRA. you can also invest in the following: - real estate - farm land - horses and livestock - water rights - physical gold, cryptocurrencies, tax…
Pacman
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Started new job. Rollover previous employer 401k to new 401k, IRA or Roth IRA?

I recently started a new job and have a 401k from my previous employer that I don't know what to do with. Should I roll it into my new employer's 401k, a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA?
jamesaharvey
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Why is half of your IRA Required Minimum Distribution forfeited if you do not make minumum withdrawals by 70.5 years of age?

I do not understand this rule: "IRA confiscates half of your account if you do not make your withdrawals by 70.5 years of age". Why? What does it mean to make withdrawals? Just to request your money getting transferred to your bank account? or get…
YohanRoth
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What are the differences between a "traditional" IRA and a Roth IRA?

I hear that a traditional IRA offers a tax deduction whereas a Roth IRA doesn't, but there's got to be more to it than that: What makes a Roth IRA any good, if it doesn't provide a tax deduction? Wouldn't I be better off just investing my money…
bms1
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Ideal net worth by age X? Need comparison references

Is there a website resource that gives suggestions for how much savings or net worth I should have at any given age, based on my education level and salary? I'm in my 30s, have no debt, and have been maxxing out my 401k and contributed other…
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What is so good about IRAs?

I still don't get what is good about IRAs. For example, in a traditional IRA when you deposit you won't have to pay tax but when you withdraw you still have to pay taxes. So you only benefit if you are in lower tax bracket when you withdraw, and…
Lightsout
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Why is there such disparity of max contribution limits between 401K accounts and regular IRA accounts?

In 2011, regular IRA accounts allowed only $5,000 maximum contribution, while 401K accounts allowed up to $16,500. Why is there such a disparity? Why do tax advantages favor employees of large employers that can afford 401K programs?
Chirag Patel
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How to invest after 401k and Roth IRA are maxed?

I'm in my 20's. I'm a big saver and I think I've covered the basics, including: Paying off all high interest (>3%) debt. Getting the full company match out of my 401k. Maxing out my Roth IRA for the year. I still have a decent amount of cash flow,…
James Jones
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Does the 'A' in IRA stand for "Account" or "Arrangement"?

From the comments at: https://money.stackexchange.com/a/85769/4522 One poster called an IRA an: Individual Retirement Account Another stated it was an: Individual Retirement Arrangement What does the IRA abbreviation actually stand for?
Freiheit
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Advice for college student: Should I hire a financial adviser or just invest in index funds?

I just started college and after calculating the cost for my degree I calculated that I have $50,000 that I wont need until after college. I think that the best think for me to do with that money is to invest. A close family friend of mine…
HanMah
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Quit my job: What can/should I do with funds in previous employer's 401(k) plan?

I recently changed jobs, and my previous employer offered a 401k. I know I can roll that money into an IRA. Before I do anything, I would like to understand what options I have, and which option is best. What recommendations do you have?
Kyle Trauberman
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Can I roll over a 401(k) with my current employer into an IRA?

My wife has a 401(k) with her employer that she has been contributing to for years. They recently switched administrators for the 401k, and the new outfit is simply terrible - bad fund choices and outrageous fees. I would like to roll over her…
Eric Petroelje
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Should I withdraw from my IRA to pay off my credit card debt?

Should I withdraw $45,000 from my IRA to pay off credit card debt? I am 63 years old. Because of a change in employment status for the last 4 years I went from full time to part time. In order to survive I had no choice but to use my credit…
Jeanie
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I have $3500 in Rollover IRA. Should I withdraw it early and pay off my credit card debt?

I have been investing a healthy amount in my current 401k with no plan to withdraw it early. I have $3,500 in a rollover IRA which has been sitting in there for about 4 years and I have done nothing to grow it over the past couple of years. I…
Gerry
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