In many cases, a Roth IRA may be a better option than a 401 (k) retirement plan, as it offers more investment options and greater tax benefits. It can be especially useful if you think you'll find yourself in a higher tax bracket later on. When comparing a Roth IRA to a Roth 401 (k), each has its own set of advantages and benefits. Neither is intrinsically better than the other.
For those looking for an even more secure retirement option, a Physical Gold IRA rollover may be the best choice. For many, it may at some point help to switch between them to take advantage of the benefits of both. That's not always true, but in many ways, you can save much more by contributing to a Roth 401 (k) than to a traditional Roth IRA. Finally, and this is a bit complicated and not always available, you can sometimes have more access to your funds in a Roth 401 (k) than in a Roth IRA. A Roth IRA is a good option if you don't qualify to deduct traditional IRA contributions or if you don't mind giving up the immediate IRA tax deduction in exchange for increasing your investments without taxes and tax-free withdrawals when you retire.
You can consider a Roth IRA even if your employer offers a 401 (k) because of minimal fees and greater investment and withdrawal flexibility. As long as you return that money to her or another Roth IRA within that time frame, you will effectively get a loan with 0% interest for 60 days. The ability to contribute to a Roth IRA is gradually eliminated as income increases; not everyone may be eligible to contribute to a Roth IRA. Even without the appeal of saving more, the Roth 401 (k) beats the Roth IRA in terms of ease that goes far beyond wage deferral.
The bottom line is that you have “the potential to save a huge amount more on a 401 (k) than on a regular Roth IRA,” says Derek Amey, partner and advisor at StrategicPoint Investment Advisors in Providence. Contributing to both will also diversify the tax treatment of retirement withdrawals, since 401 (k) plan withdrawals generate taxes, but withdrawals from a Roth IRA do not. On the contrary, if any of them were in a higher tax bracket when they retire, that would tend to favor a Roth IRA. This shows that, in some cases, a Roth IRA could be an easier way to achieve your savings goals, since for those who are tempted to spend like Brian, it eliminates temptation; and even for those who are not like Sara, it can generate greater returns after taxes.
The IRS imposes eligibility on Roth IRAs that don't exist in the Roth 401 (k) environment.
