Why Do I Want a Roth IRA?

The following video is part of our "Motley Fool Investing Basics" series, in which Motley Fool contributor and financial planner Dan Caplinger discusses topics from around the investment world.

Today, Dan looks at Roth IRAs and why having one is a smart move. Dan notes that IRAs in general let you save for retirement in a tax-favored way, but the unique benefit that Roth IRAs offer is tax-free growth. Especially for young people, Roth IRAs often make more sense than traditional retirement accounts. Combined with other retirement saving strategies such as 401(k) plans, Roth IRAs can help you lock in a lifetime of tax benefits, which is increasingly important with higher tax rates potentially right around the corner. Dan walks you through the mechanics of opening and contributing to a Roth IRA, as well as giving some examples of stocks you want to focus on for a Roth.

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The article Why Do I Want a Roth IRA? originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Dan Caplinger has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Google, and priceline.com. Motley Fool newsletter services recommend Apple, Google, and priceline.com. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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