Frequently Asked Question

October 04 2006 | Filed Under ยป

What's the difference between a savings account and a Roth IRA?

A savings account is an all-inclusive term , which includes IRAs and regular ( non-retirement) savings. A Roth IRA is a savings account in which earnings accrue on a tax-deferred basis, but are tax free if distributions are qualified. In a regular savings account, earnings are added to an individual's taxable income for the year earned.

Check out Tax Treatment Of Roth IRA Distributions for an analysis of Roth IRA distributions and examples and explanations of the circumstances under which earnings in a Roth IRA would (or would not) be subject to income taxes.

This question was answered by Denise Appleby
(Contact Denise)
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Denise Appleby

Denise Appleby
Denise Appleby is founder and owner of Appleby Retirement Consulting,which provides technical consultation, content, coaching, writing, editing and training services on related topics.


With more than 14 years of experience in the IRA and defined-contribution plans fields, Appleby has held several senior retirement-plan related positions with Pershing LLC, which included vice president of plans products and services, retirement plans manager, trainer, training manager, compliance consultant, technical help desk manager and writer.
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