Qualifying Reasons to Withdraw From Your Roth IRA

Roth IRA Withdrawal – Know The Rules

Roth IRA is one of the best IRA types that workers can utilize for their savings. Like other types of IRA Roth IRA allows individuals to take on different types of investments such as stocks, certificate of deposits and the like. It also has special tax considerations that allows account holder to be taxed just once instead of twice. However, Roth IRA accounts are more favored among the other types of IRA because it is simpler and the Roth IRA rules are more flexible as compared to other types of IRA accounts.

If you plan to open a Roth IRA account, you must first be aware of the different Roth IRA rules. Knowing these IRA rules will help you understand what Roth IRA really is and determine whether it is the right type of IRA for you. Knowing the IRA withdrawal rules for Roth IRA also allows you to avoid high taxes and penalties in the future.

The IRA withdrawal rule for principal contributions made to the Roth IRA account is simple. Account holders can withdraw their principal contributions anytime tax free. You don’t have to pay for taxes, because you have already paid for it when you made the contributions. Withdrawal of earnings on the other hand requires individuals to reach the age of 59 ½ and satisfy the five year rule for them to withdraw their earnings tax free.

But aside from reaching the age of 59 ½, there are qualifying reasons in the IRA withdrawal rules that are permitted by the IRS that allows individuals to make withdrawals on their earnings. High taxes and penalties are avoided if the account holder is considered as a first-time home buyer. A qualified first-time homebuyer is not necessarily individuals who want to purchase a house for the first time. Individuals who have just purchased their first real home for the past two years are also considered as a first time homebuyer. Account holders that has incurred a disability before 59 ½ are also exempted from penalties and taxes. Lastly, penalties and taxes are not applied to those account holders who are deceased.