A ROTH IRA is an individual retirement account established by individuals that provides tax-free income after 5 years and age 59-1/2.

You can't contribute to a Roth IRA for a year with income above $110,000 if single or $160,000 on a joint return. You must have earnings from personal services-$4,000 or more to make the (maximum) contribution - though an additional contribution of $1,000 is allowed persons age 50 and over. The $4,000 amount for earnings and contributions rises higher after 2007.

Rollover - A distribution from a traditional IRA can be contributed to a Roth IRA within 60 days after distribution. Trustee-to-trustee transfer - The financial institution holding the traditional IRA assets will provide directions on how to transfer those assets to a Roth IRA with another financial institution.

Yes, you can. But remember that you can only contribute up to $3,000 per year to any combination of Traditional and Roth IRAs that you have. You cannot contribute $3,000 to each.

If your income falls below a certain limit, you can convert any amount in your Rollover or regular IRA to a Roth IRA. Caution: You must pay taxes on any amounts converted from your Rollover or regular IRA to a ROTH IRA. Maybe. Your converted retirement funds in your Roth IRA will grow tax free as opposed to growing on a tax-deferred basis. In essence, you stop the tax clock by paying your taxes today on your retirement funds for the benefit of withdrawing your money tax-free tomorrow.

No. You can convert several IRAs – SEP, Simple IRA, regular IRA or Rollover IRA– to a Roth IRA as long as your modified adjusted gross income is below $100,000

You can contribute up to $4,000 ($4,500 if you are age 50 or older in 2005 and $5,000 if you are age 50 or older in 2006) or up to 100% of your compensation whichever is less. If you are eligible to do so, you may contribute to both a Traditional IRA and a Roth IRA in the same year, but the total amount you contribute cannot exceed the annual limits. Roth IRA contributions are not tax deductible.

Money can be withdrawn at any time. However, earnings included in distributions taken prior to age 59 ? may be subject to both income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as shown below in the next question. Conversion amounts may also be subject to the 10% penalty.

There are three different tax treatments for distributions of earnings from Roth IRAs. The distribution is either: The income tax applies to all withdrawals of earnings made before the "Five-Year Holding Period" is satisfied even if the Roth IRA owner is over 59 1/2, disabled, dies or uses the distribution for a first home purchase.

Yes, generally under the same terms as traditional IRAs. Also, ordinary income tax is somewhat less likely, or may be smaller in amount, than with traditional IRAs.

Yes, subject to the income conditions above. This allows contributions of $4,000 each if the couple's earnings are at least $8,000 after 2004; higher amounts after 2007.

The Roth IRA was first introduced in 1998, quickly gaining popularity as the new retirement planning investment vehicle. The main difference between the Roth IRA and the Traditional IRA is that contributions to a Roth IRA are not tax deductible and therefore come from after-tax income. However, the income generated by the Roth IRA is tax-free upon qualified withdrawal. In other words, traditional IRAs offer tax deferral while Roth IRA earnings are

Unlike the Traditional IRA, you are not required to take distributions from your Roth IRA at age 70 ?.

One feature of the Roth IRA is that account holder is allowed to remove his/her annual contributions at any time, tax and penalty free. You must satisfy two conditions to remove converted or contributed funds from your Roth IRA without tax or penalty. First, your Roth IRA must be established for 5 years.

There is no limit on the amount that can be converted to a Roth IRA as long as your modified adjusted gross income is below $100,000 per year. Not so. Any amount can be converted to a Roth IRA if you meet the $100,000 per year income limit. However, only $3,000 in 2003 can be contributed to a Roth IRA subject to certain income limits. Investors 50 years old or above may make an additional "catch-up" contribution of $500, bringing their total to $3,500 for the year.

No. IRAs may only be transferred to the same type of IRA (i.e. Traditional to Traditional, Roth to Roth, etc.) Also note that IRAs cannot contain any margin loans, short positions, or equity option positions.