What Is an IRA?
What Is an IRA? An IRA is an individual retirement arrangement, but what does IRA really mean? IRA Definition An IRA is a tax-advantaged account used for retirement savings. IRAs are defined and governed by the IRS through Publication 590-A Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements, and Publication 590-B Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements. Is An IRA a Good Way to Save for Retirement Saving money in an IRA is smart. To know, “Is an IRA right for me,” depends on your financial situation and your retirement goal. An IRA is a great way to reduce taxes and to grow your money without paying taxes for years. There are actually several different types of IRAs such as Roth IRAs, SEP-IRAs and SIMPLE IRAs. The standard, or plain IRA is often referred to as a traditional IRA. What Is a Traditional IRA? A traditional IRA allows taxpayers below a certain income threshold to deduct the value of contributions made to the IRA. The money also grows tax-free inside the IRA. Overall, the funds in a traditional IRA are considered tax-deferred because you will have to pay taxes on tax-deductible contributions and tax-free growth later when you withdraw the money. How Does an …