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There isn't a better one.
An IRA is an individual retirement account not through an employer. You can set it up through most banks/brokerages. It could be better because you get better fund options.
A 401k is typically through your employer and your investment options are limited by what they provide and you have to pay the expense for them to maintain it.
They'll do the same thing (grow gains tax free) but it's up to you. Read r/personalfinance
Bowl Leader
Keep doing what you were doing!! Keep your traditional 401k and keep doing the mega-backdoor Roth, that is the best of both worlds! By the time you retire you will be able to live off your Roth IRA dollars and roll out of your 401k over time and NEVER pay taxes on ANY of the money you put in your 401k. Seriously, change nothing, Roth 401k is a bad deal because you are locking in a high marginal tax rate today and will be a drag on your wealth accumulation.
So this whole time I thought your were comparing a Roth 401k to Roth IRA, not a traditional 401k.
I completely agree with everything you're saying now lol
For OP, I've looked at it. I'm pretty sure you have to call, or you could call and ask if they could automate, but you want to do this the same day the funds are deposited to limit any gains cause pro rata.
Roth IRA: A person earning <~$122k/year can set aside up to $6k/year after paying taxes that can be invested and grow tax free. When you withdraw money in retirement, you also don’t need to pay taxes.
IRA: A person earning <~$122k/year can set aside up to $6k/year and take the tax deduction in the year of contribution. When you withdraw money in retirement, you need to pay taxes.
401k: A person working for a company can contribute pre-tax income (máximum of $18k/year) to an account that can then be invested. A lot of automatic funds are Target Date Funds that gradually transition your money from stocks to bonds as you age. When you withdraw money, you pay taxes on the earnings.
Roth 401k: A person working for a company can contribute post-tax income that can then be invested. A lot of automatic funds are Target Date Funds that gradually transition your money from stocks to bonds as you age. When you withdraw money, you pay taxes on the earnings.
When choosing, along with income limitations, it’s helpful to think about what tule of tax bracket you may be in when you retire.
Which one is better? FYI I’m not eligible for Roth IRA because my total compensation is 190k
Rising Star
Not seeing a lot of answers here....
Yes keep doing what you’re doing. Roth IRA is better, more flexible investment options and more liquidity since you can pull the investments out after 5 years.
Separately you should also do regular backdoor Roth every year.
One more thing I just came across while reading about these two options is the contribution limits - if I do a mega backdoor to a Roth IRA I can contribute upto 54,000$. What about a 401k Roth?
Rising Star
OP, there are three 401k options:
1. Traditional - Max $19.5k, deferred income tax
2. Roth - Max $19.5k, income tax for contributions paid that year
3. After Tax (not Roth) 401k - Max combined $55k across all 401ks. This is your ‘mega backdoor’ 401k account of your company offers it.
A 401k is sponsored by your employer.
An IRA is ‘Individual’, and has a $6k contribution limit.