Self-Directed Roth IRAs

The Roth IRA is popular, which is why so many people already know about its benefits. In fact, you may have already heard that Roth IRAs use after-tax money, which means you can invest in Roth IRAs quickly and easily—and when you withdraw this money in retirement, you won’t pay additional taxes on it. This is great for anyone who knows or believes that they’re going to have a higher tax bracket in retirement. But what about the Self-Directed Roth IRA—what kinds of secret benefits might it have that investors are still waiting to unlock?

Let’s explore a few of those key benefits today:

Benefit #1: Tax-Free Growth

Naturally, we can’t gloss over this one. It’s too integral to what makes Self-Directed Roth IRAs appealing to investors. Let’s recap quickly. Unlike traditional IRAs, contributions to a Roth IRA are made with after-tax dollars. This means you don’t receive an immediate tax deduction on your contributions.

However, the real magic happens down the line. Once your funds have been in a Self-Directed Roth IRA for five years, they can grow tax-free indefinitely. This tax-free growth potential can significantly grow your retirement savings over time. And most importantly, when you have valid retirement funds in a Roth IRA in retirement, you don’t have to worry about additional taxes—that money is yours to work with.

Benefit #2: Penalty-Free Withdrawals

Another key advantage of the Self-Directed Roth IRA is its withdrawal flexibility. While there is still a 10 percent penalty on non-hardship distributions made before age 59½, this penalty applies only to the growth portion of your account. Your original contributions can be withdrawn penalty-free as long as they’ve been held in the Self-Directed Roth IRA for at least five years. This feature means there’s liquidity and accessibility that many other retirement accounts simply don’t provide.

Benefit #3: Tax-Free Distributions

Above, you might have noticed that we tackled the idea that you can withdraw money from your account in retirement without paying money in taxes. That’s true. Since you’ve already paid income taxes on the money you contributed to your Self-Directed Roth IRA, you won’t owe taxes again when you make qualified withdrawals. This means your distributions during retirement can be entirely tax-free, providing a valuable source of income without the burden of additional taxes. Additionally, Self-Directed Roth IRAs are not subject to required minimum distributions (RMDs), offering you greater control over your retirement income strategy.

Benefit #4: Wealth Protection

In addition to their tax advantages, Self-Directed Roth IRAs offer protection from creditors under federal law and in all 50 states. Say someone sues you, for example. Your IRA assets are generally shielded from seizure, safeguarding your retirement nest egg. However, it’s important to note that inherited Self-Directed IRAs may not receive the same level of protection as those you fund yourself.

Getting the Most from Self-Directed Roth IRAs

Thus far, we’ve tackled the concepts that apply to Roth IRAs in general. But there are even more options when you have a Self-Directed Roth IRA. The Self-Directed Roth IRA is a great opportunity for individuals after investment flexibility. With its tax-free growth potential, penalty-free withdrawals, and wealth protection benefits, the modern Self-Directed Roth IRA is a great tool for building and preserving wealth for retirement. The only question is: are you ready to open one of your own?

To learn more about how you can leverage the benefits of a Self-Directed Roth IRA, contact American IRA at 866-7500-IRA. We’ll be glad to tell you about what we can do as a Self-Directed IRA administration firm—as well as kick off opening your first Roth IRA today.

Want some FAQs abour Self-Directed Roth IRAs? Visit: Self-Directed Roth IRA FAQs | American IRA