Roth IRA

The Roth IRA danger zone (part 2): What to do if you contributed too much

So we talked last time about the problems with being on the threshold of the Roth IRA income limits. If you make way too much or way too little, then you know where you stand in terms of being able … Read MoreRead More

Brackets

The folly of choosing a Roth IRA or Traditional IRA based on tax brackets

If you’re saving for retirement (and you are saving for retirement, or at least working towards it, right?) you have probably been confronted with a choice when it comes to self-directed retirement accounts: Do you use a Roth IRA or a … Read MoreRead More

Train track junctions

6 example ways to invest your 15%

Save 15% for retirement. You’ve heard it all before. And now you know how you determine how to determine which investment vehicles comprise that 15%. But with so many different options and scenarios, it’s easy to get lost. So here … Read MoreRead More

Fire rainbow

Getting to 15%: How to determine the best investment vehicles

I believe that the optimal target when saving for retirement is to put away 15% of your income. Potentially more, but certainly not less. Here’s why. Getting to the point where you’re ready to put down 15% is hard. You … Read MoreRead More

Sand

What if you can’t contribute to a Roth IRA?

Roth IRAs are awesome. There’s just no other way that I can see that regular folks can invest in a way that lets money grow tax-free, without any Required Minimum Distributions or anything like that. Plus, a retirement account where … Read MoreRead More

Carnegie Library

How to know when it’s time to rollover your old retirement plan

A little over a decade ago, I had a job with a university. I participated in their retirement plan, a 403(b) plan with TIAA-CREF (now TIAA). I still have this account. As I moved to a different job, I started … Read MoreRead More

Cherry Blossom

The worrying connection between long-term care insurance and the Roth IRA

I talked last time about long-term care insurance (LTCI), and how it can be a great tool to hedge against the incredible medical costs of things like nursing home care. This is, of course, assuming that the insurers stay in business, … Read MoreRead More

Sailboats

How to open a Roth IRA with Vanguard

I’ve made no secret about a number of things: Retirement planning is something we need to do, and right now. The best way for everyone to plan for retirement is through investing. A Roth IRA is an investment vehicle that … Read MoreRead More

Superman

Enter the retirement mutant hybrid: the Roth 401(k)

When people think of employer-based retirement accounts like 401(k) plans, people often think that that implies pre-tax contributions. It’s only your own self-directed retirement accounts (IRAs) that have the post-tax (Roth) option. I used to be one of those people. But … Read MoreRead More

How to transfer an IRA to Vanguard

Many years ago, when I was first learning about investing, I decided to start my own IRA. At my coworker’s suggestion, I set up the account at Scottrade. Over the course of two years, I put a little bit of money … Read MoreRead More