From Your Perspective:
Choosing an IRA

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Choosing an IRA

1. Choosing an IRA

2. IRA rules

3. Traditional deductible IRAs

4. Roth IRAs

5. Traditional non-deductible IRAs

6. Traditional vs. Roth IRAs

7. Why choose an IRA?

8. Picking an IRA portfolio

9. Make the most of an IRA

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Choosing an IRA

Perhaps you participate in a retirement plan, such as a 401(k), at your job. But that's only one of the ways you can start putting your money to work for the future. An IRA, or individual retirement account, is a great tool for individual investors, whether or not you're participating in a 401(k), 403(b), or other retirement plan. Finding money to invest can seem like a challenge when you're starting your career. But the same principle applies: The more time you have to let your money grow, the bigger the impact of every dollar you invest.

If you think you'll live on your Social Security benefits when you retire, think again. While some retired people get by on Social Security alone, most people who are able to live the way they want supplement their Social Security with other sources of income.

To estimate your Social Security benefits, you can use the Retirement Estimator on the Social Security Web site: www.socialsecurity.gov/ estimator/

Because the Estimator draws on your actual Social Security earnings record, you don’t have to manually key in years of earning information to get your estimate.