Saturday, March 03, 2012

Roth IRA

I'm not a 1%er.  I have a $800 snowblower that ran out of oil that I've put off getting fixed (while my grandfather died shoveling snow).  My dishwasher won't drain so I've done the dishes by hand for the past six months (gasp).  The tires on my Jeep are 10 years old and have major signs of dry rot.  I've lifted weights in my basement for two years now verses paying for a gym membership.

But I've always scraped up $5,000 to send to the FA for the yearly Roth IRA contribution.  I used to think that was the best option.  But after talking with some of my older and (hopefully) wiser friends, I'm thinking this is not a good decision.  Why pay taxes now on the $5,000, when I'm paying taxes on my income, when I can pay 15% on the $15,000 I'll need a year once the house is paid off and all I do is play golf for six months out of the year?  When, if, I retire, I won't be in a higher tax bracket than I am now.  Why pay the taxes now?

And I just mailed my federal tax return yesterday.  Will have to do an amendment.

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