Traditional, Roth, and Simple IRAs

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Traditional IRAs

A Traditional IRA is a tax-advantaged arrangement that allows earnings and deductible contributions to grow tax-deferred. That means you don't pay income taxes on the earnings and deductible contributions of your IRA until you begin taking withdrawals, usually after you retire and possibly are in a lower tax bracket.

Contributions may be deductible from your gross income on your federal income tax return for the year in which the contributions are made. Earnings grow on a tax-deferred basis. Deductible contributions and earnings are subject to federal income tax when withdrawn. You must not attain the age of 70½ during the year you contribute to a Traditional IRA. You must also have earned income (compensation) in order to contribute to a Traditional IRA.

Roth IRAs

Roth IRAs, with a few exceptions, grow income-tax free and owners are not required to begin taking minimum distributions at age 70½. Your Roth IRA can continue to grow tax-free for as long as you own it.

Regular IRAs grow tax-deferred, and both the original investment and the growth will be taxed when the money is withdrawn.

The disadvantage of the Roth IRA is that you do not receive a tax deduction when you make a contribution. In effect, Congress is taxing the seed (your contribution), but you reap the harvest (your withdrawals) tax free. In contrast, with a traditional IRA, you are not taxed on the seed, but your harvest is taxed.

The exception to our preference for the Roth over the regular IRA would be when you can anticipate that your income tax bracket will be lower later. However, even with a lower tax brackets in retirement, the Roth IRA can still be a better choice unless a short investment period is anticipated.

Annual contribution limits

In tax years 2006 and 2007, you can make annual contributions to a Traditional IRA of up to $4,000 or 100% of your earned income, whichever is less. An aggregate of $8,000 can generally be contributed per married couple ($4,000 per IRA) provided that either you or your spouse has earned income of at least that amount. The $4,000 and $8,000 annual contribution limits apply to the combination of all of your Traditional and Roth IRAs.

If you are age 50 or older, you may make additional "catch-up" contributions to your IRA. Over the next several years, the maximum annual contribution amount will increase as shown in the table below.

Note: Additional "catch-up" contributions have been included in amounts shown for age 50 or older.

Tax year	Under age 50	Age 50 or older
2009	$5,000	$6,000
2010	$5,000	$6,000
2011	$5,000	$6,000

Contribution Timing

You can make annual contributions to a Traditional or Roth IRA from January 1st through the tax-filing deadline (excluding extensions) for the year, generally April 15.

Rolling Over a 401(k)

A rollover occurs when you move your money from a qualified retirement plan, such as an employer-sponsored 401(k) plan, into a Traditional IRA or another qualified retirement plan. Typically, you are eligible for a rollover only when you are eligible to receive a distribution from a qualified plan. Such situations would include:

Retiring. You've been saving for years and years...and now it's finally time to enjoy your hard-earned savings. Many people find that consolidating their retirement assets into a Traditional IRA makes it easier to manage and monitor their money.
Changing jobs. When people change jobs, they often have money in a qualified retirement plan sponsored by their employer. A rollover lets them move this money into a Traditional IRA of their own choosing.
Between jobs or switching careers. Perhaps you're taking advantage of opportunities to explore a new profession. Or maybe you're simply spending time away from the work force to raise a family or go back to school. Whatever your situation, you may wish to simplify your finances by transferring the money from a previous employer's plan to a Traditional IRA.