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High Finances: Welcome to the IRA Pylon Race

In our financial pylon race, the Roth IRA is the clear winner. Jeff Berlin
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The article compares Roth, Traditional, and taxable brokerage accounts, demonstrating that Roth IRAs often yield the highest after-tax gains, especially if you anticipate being in a higher tax bracket during retirement.
  • Traditional IRAs can be more advantageous than Roth IRAs if you expect your income tax bracket to be lower in retirement or for shorter investment periods under specific high-income scenarios.
  • A standard taxable brokerage account consistently proves to be the least tax-efficient option for long-term retirement savings compared to either a Roth or Traditional IRA.
  • The most critical takeaway is to contribute to some form of IRA, as not doing so or solely relying on a taxable brokerage account results in significantly less after-tax wealth for retirement.
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In a previous column, I asserted that all pilots need to maximize contributions to a Roth IRA each year. In this column, we’ll see why by examining three ways to invest $6,000:

Jason Depew

Jason Depew flies as a captain for a major U.S. airline. He is also an Air Force reservist and has flown more than 300 combat missions over Afghanistan and other garden spots. Based in Tampa, Florida, he instructs in the Icon A5 and anything else he can get his hands on. His writing is focused on personal finance for pilots with the goal to help all types of aviators enjoy great careers, sometimes in spite of themselves. You can send Jason questions at editorial@flying.media.

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