One of the simplest tax avoidance strategies is to contribute to
a Roth IRA, although this may not be right for everyone. Some
individuals, particularly low-income households that may be
eligible for tax credits because of young children in the home, may
benefit more from contributions to a traditional IRA. Here, you
want to help Debra identify the best retirement savings option for
her situation.
Debra is 25, single, and makes $42,000 a year. Debra does not have
access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan, but she really
wants to start saving for retirement. She can contribute $5,600 of
pretax money to a traditional IRA, or she can contribute $4,760 of
after-tax money to a Roth IRA. The $840 difference represents the
tax that Debra has to pay. Assume Debra continues to make this same
annual contribution for 30 years and earns 8% on her
investment.
Use the time value of money (TVM) formulas to calculate what the
future value will be and how much she will have after taxes are
paid in retirement by completing the following table.
(Round answers to nearest whole
number)
Traditional IRA | Roth IRA | ||||
Money available to save | $5,600 | $5,600 | |||
Tax on money available to save | $0 | $840 | |||
Net annual contributions | $5,600 | $4,760 | |||
Number of years contributions are made | 30 | 30 | |||
Future value at 8% | $ | $ | |||
Retirement tax rate | 23% | 0%, Qualified Roth IRA distributions are tax free. |
|||
Tax | $ | $ | |||
After-tax wealth | $ | $ |
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