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Open a free Roth IRA

A Roth IRA lets you grow money tax-free. You contribute post-tax dollars (no upfront deduction), but qualified withdrawals in retirement — including all gains — are tax-free. The 2026 contribution limit is $7,000 ($8,000 if you're 50+).

Eligibility

• You need earned income (wages or self-employment) at least equal to what you contribute — investment income doesn't count.
• For 2026, you must earn under $168,000 single / $252,000 married filing jointly to contribute the full amount directly. Above those, contributions phase out and then stop.

Withdrawals

• Your contributions can come out anytime, tax-free and penalty-free — they're already post-tax.
• Earnings withdrawn before age 59½ (or before the account is 5 years old) are taxed as income and hit with a 10% penalty. Exceptions: up to $10K toward a first home, qualified higher-education costs, disability, or certain medical expenses.
• Earnings withdrawn after age 59½ and once the account has been open ≥5 years are completely tax-free — the main payoff of a Roth.
• No required minimum distributions during your lifetime, so the account can keep growing tax-free as long as you don't need it.

Open a free Traditional IRA

A Traditional IRA lets you defer taxes on what you save. Contributions may be deductible the year you make them, your investments grow tax-deferred, and you pay ordinary income tax when you withdraw in retirement. The 2026 contribution limit is $7,000 ($8,000 if you're 50+) — shared across all your IRAs, including any Roth.

Eligibility

• You need earned income (wages or self-employment) at least equal to what you contribute — investment income doesn't count.
• Anyone with earned income can contribute regardless of income level. The deduction, though, phases out if you (or your spouse) have a workplace retirement plan — full deduction stops above roughly $87,000 single / $143,000 married filing jointly in 2026. Above that, contributions are still allowed but non-deductible.

Withdrawals

• Withdrawals before age 59½ are taxed as ordinary income and hit with a 10% early-withdrawal penalty. Exceptions to the penalty: up to $10K toward a first home, qualified higher-education costs, certain medical expenses, disability, or substantially equal periodic payments.
• Withdrawals at age 59½ or later are taxed as ordinary income (no penalty) — since you got the tax break up front, the IRS taxes you on the way out.
• Required minimum distributions (RMDs) start at age 73. You must take a yearly distribution from the account each year, even if you don't need the cash, and failing to do so triggers a steep excise tax.
• Non-deductible contributions create cost basis in the account — only the gains on those dollars are taxed at withdrawal, not the contributions themselves (you'll track this on IRS Form 8606).

UGMA — Uniform Gifts to Minors Act

A custodial brokerage account that holds cash, stocks, bonds, and mutual funds in a minor's name with you as custodian. Earnings are taxed under the kiddie-tax rules — the first ~$1,300 of unearned income is tax-free, the next ~$1,300 at the child's rate, anything above at the parent's rate. The account becomes the child's outright at the state's age of majority (usually 18 or 21).

UTMA — Uniform Transfers to Minors Act

The modern, broader version of UGMA — same custodial structure, but it can hold basically any asset (securities, real estate, intellectual property). Available in every state except South Carolina (which still uses UGMA). Same kiddie-tax treatment as UGMA. Assets transfer to the child at the state's age of majority, often 21 and as late as 25 in some states.

529 — Education Savings Plan

A state-sponsored account with tax-deferred growth and tax-free withdrawals for qualified education expenses (tuition, room & board, books, computers, even up to $10K/yr of K–12 tuition). Many states also offer a deduction on contributions. Post-SECURE 2.0, unused 529 funds can be rolled to a Roth IRA up to a $35K lifetime limit.