Roth vs Traditional IRA: Rules, Taxes and Top Picks
The choice between a Roth and a traditional IRA comes down to when you want your tax break. Understand the difference and pick the account that fits your life.
Learn the IRA Rules and Tax Differences
Our detailed IRA guide compares the Roth IRA and the traditional IRA, covering IRA contribution limits, income rules, deductions, qualified withdrawals and early withdrawal penalties. It also explains required minimum distributions and conversions.
Compare the Best IRA Accounts
Our current IRA provider comparison puts the best IRA accounts side by side, with fees, investment choices, minimums and tools, so you can open the right account with confidence.
Six Savers, Six IRA Choices
Self-employed workers, young earners and near-retirees each had different needs. Read their stories. Each has a dedicated page explaining their situation, their problems and why they chose a Roth or traditional IRA.
Browse all IRA articles below.
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Roth IRA for Students: How Holly Learns Why Starting Small Beats Waiting
By Jozsef Huszar • Updated: September 16, 2026 Is a Roth IRA for students really worth it? Here is how to open a Roth IRA with a part-time paycheck, how the earned income rule works, and why a custodial Roth IRA lets you start decades early. Holly just started earning money from a part-time job,…
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Roth vs Traditional IRA for Freelancers: How Peter Chooses
By Jozsef Huszar • Updated: September 16, 2026 Roth vs Traditional IRA for freelancers comes down to one question: how do you save for retirement when your income never looks the same two years in a row? Peter doesn’t have an employer handing him a 401(k) enrollment form or a matching contribution. As a freelancer,…
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Roth vs Traditional IRA for Newcomers to the U.S.: How Consuelo Chooses
By Jozsef Huszar • Updated: September 16, 2026 Roth vs Traditional IRA for newcomers sounds like a foreign language at first, but the basics are simpler than the vocabulary suggests. Consuelo has always believed in saving for the future — that part isn’t new to her. What’s new is the U.S. retirement system itself, with…