Saving for Retirement - Traditional IRA (2024)

Save for retirement while your assets grow tax-deferred in our IRA account, intended for investors who have earned income and are under age 70½.

KEY BENEFITS

  • No annual maintenance fee.1
  • $0 commission for online US stock, ETF, and option trades2 3
  • No transaction fee when trading most Fidelity mutual funds.4
  • Your money grows tax-deferred, as earnings are not subject to tax until they are withdrawn.
  • Contributions may be tax-deductible, based on income and participation in a workplace retirement plan.
  • Two choices for your core position (where your money is held until you invest or withdraw it):
    • — FDIC-Insured Deposit Sweep (if available): An interest bearing cash position, offering the benefit of FDIC insurance eligibility through a Program Bank5. See the current interest rate schedule.
    • — Fidelity Government Money Market Fund: A Fidelity money market fund.6

FIDELITY ADVANTAGE

  • A wide range of Fidelity & non-Fidelity funds, stocks, bonds, ETFs, and FDIC-insured CDs.
  • Comprehensive research and tools to help you find, analyze, and track investment options.
  • Knowledgeable representatives to help you create and maintain your plan.

GETTING STARTED

  • Waive most mutual fund minimums by enrolling in automatic contributions.
  • Select from a number of convenient ways to make a first-time contribution to your account.
  • IRA contribution limits apply. See contribution amounts and deadlines for more detail.
  1. There is no cost to open and no annual fee for Fidelity's Traditional, Roth, SEP, and Rollover IRAs. A $50 account close out fee may apply. Fund investments held in your account may be subject to management, low balance and short term trading fees, as described in the offering materials. For all securities, see the Fidelity commission schedule (PDF) for trading commission and transaction fee details.
  2. $0.00 commission applies to online U.S. equity trades, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and options (+ $0.65 per contract fee) in a Fidelity retail account only for Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC retail clients. Sell orders are subject to an activity assessment fee (from $0.01 to $0.03 per $1,000 of principal). There is an Options Regulatory Fee that applies to both option buy and sell transactions. The fee is subject to change. Other exclusions and conditions may apply. See Fidelity.com/commissions for details. Employee equity compensation transactions and accounts managed by advisors or intermediaries through Fidelity Institutional® are subject to different commission schedules.
  3. Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk. Before trading options, please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. Supporting documentation for any claims, if applicable, will be furnished upon request.
  4. For more information, refer to the for retirement accounts.
  5. The cash balance in the FDIC-insured Deposit Sweep is swept to an FDIC-insured interest-bearing account at a program bank. The deposit at the program bank is not covered by SIPC. The deposit is eligible for FDIC insurance subject to FDIC insurance coverage limits. All assets of the account holder at the depository institution will generally be counted toward the aggregate limit. The program bank will be assigned to your account during the account opening process. See the current list of eligible program banks. For more information, please see the FDIC Insured Deposit Sweep Program (PDF) This page will open in a popup window. disclosure document. For more information about FDIC insurance coverage, please visit the FDIC website at www.FDIC.gov This page will open in a popup window. or call 877-ASK-FDIC. Customers are responsible for monitoring their total assets at the Program Bank to determine the extent of available FDIC insurance. All FDIC insurance coverage is in accordance with FDIC rules.
  6. You could lose money by investing in a money market fund. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Fidelity Investments and its affiliates, the fund's sponsor, have no legal obligation to provide financial support to money market funds and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the fund at any time.

    Fidelity's government and U.S. Treasury money market funds will not impose a fee upon the sale of your shares, nor temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the fund's weekly liquid assets fall below 30% of its total assets because of market conditions or other factors.

Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

Saving for Retirement - Traditional IRA (2024)

FAQs

Is an IRA enough for retirement? ›

Based on median incomes and the 10x rule, most people will need about $740,000 to finance a secure retirement. So in theory, a $750,000 Roth IRA and $1,800 in Social Security benefits will be enough for many individuals to retire.

Is a traditional IRA good for retirement? ›

A traditional IRA is a way to save for retirement that gives you tax advantages. Generally, amounts in your traditional IRA (including earnings and gains) are not taxed until you take a distribution (withdrawal) from your IRA.

Am I saving enough for retirement? ›

The first step is to get an estimate of how much you will need to retire securely. One rule of thumb is that you'll need 70% of your annual pre-retirement income to live comfortably. That might be enough if you've paid off your mortgage and you're in excellent health when you retire.

What is a disadvantage of using a traditional IRA for retirement savings? ›

IMPORTANT NOTE: You cannot borrow against your IRA account as you can with a 401(k) plan. You also cannot use the account to secure a loan. IMPORTANT NOTE: Unlike qualified retirement plans, the money you have in an IRA may not necessarily be protected from your creditors.

Is $80,000 a year enough for retirement? ›

Based on the 75% to 80% rule, you'd need between $75,000 and $80,000 a year in retirement.

Is $10,000 a month a good retirement income? ›

Everyone isn't going to want to spend $10,000 net a month in retirement. For some people, that will be way more than they need each month. For others, it might not be enough. And there might be some people that spending $10,000 net a month in retirement is just right.

Is a traditional IRA better than a savings account? ›

Savings accounts can be a safe place to keep cash for emergencies and short-term goals. Roth IRAs are for long-term goals, primarily retirement. However, Roth IRAs can also be used for withdrawals in an emergency because your Roth contributions are always accessible without penalty. However, your earnings are not.

What are the disadvantages of traditional IRA? ›

Cons
  • You'll pay taxes down the road: You may have enjoyed the tax benefits at a younger age, but that perk doesn't last forever. ...
  • You're required to withdraw the money: You might not be sure of what you'll be doing at age 73, but one thing is for certain with a traditional IRA: You'll have to start taking some money out.
Apr 16, 2024

Does your money grow in a traditional IRA? ›

With a Traditional IRA, your money can grow tax deferred, but you'll pay ordinary income tax on your withdrawals, and you must start taking distributions after age 73. Unlike with a Roth IRA, there are no income limitations to opening a Traditional IRA.

What is the $1000 a month rule for retirement? ›

The $1,000-a-month retirement rule says that you should save $240,000 for every $1,000 of monthly income you'll need in retirement. So, if you anticipate a $4,000 monthly budget when you retire, you should save $960,000 ($240,000 * 4).

What is a realistic amount to save for retirement? ›

It's the million-dollar question — quite literally: How much should I save for retirement? There is a general rule of thumb: When saving for retirement, most financial experts recommend an annual retirement savings goal of 10% to 15% of your pre-tax income.

How much does Dave Ramsey say to save for retirement? ›

When it comes to saving for retirement, money expert Dave Ramsey knows exactly how much you should be setting aside. Ramsey's recommendation, which he shared on his website Ramsey Solutions, is to invest 15% of your gross income into your 401(k) and IRA every month.

Why would anyone use a traditional IRA? ›

Traditional IRAs offer the key advantage of tax-deferred growth, meaning you won't pay taxes on your untaxed earning or contributions until you're required to start taking minimum distributions at age 73.

Why not traditional IRA? ›

In general, if you think you'll be in a higher tax bracket when you retire, a Roth IRA may be the better choice. You'll pay taxes now, at a lower rate, and withdraw funds tax-free in retirement when you're in a higher tax bracket.

What is the point of a traditional IRA? ›

A traditional IRA allows savers to contribute money into a tax-deferred vehicle using pre-tax (deductible) contributions. Although this investment vehicle can't be accessed until 59½ without taxes and penalties, taxes on the growth of your investment are deferred until then.

What is a good amount to have in IRA at retirement? ›

By age 40, you should have accumulated three times your current income for retirement. By retirement age, it should be 10 to 12 times your income at that time to be reasonably confident that you'll have enough funds. Seamless transition — roughly 80% of your pre-retirement income.

How much does the average person have in their IRA at retirement? ›

The above chart shows that U.S. residents 35 and under have an average of $30,170 in retirement savings; those 35 to 44 have an average $131,950; those 45 to 54 have an average $254,720; those 55 to 64 have an average $408,420; those 65 to 74 have an average $426,070; and those over 70 have an average $357,920.

What is a disadvantage of having an IRA? ›

IRA drawbacks

One drawback of using IRAs to save for retirement is that the annual contribution limits are relatively low. In 2024, you can contribute up to $23,000 to a 401(k) plan, but you can only contribute $7,000 to an IRA in 2024 unless you're at least 50 years old, in which case the limit is $8,000 in 2024.

How much should a 60 year old have in IRA? ›

A common rule of thumb is to have eight times your salary in retirement savings by age 60. If you're behind on yours, contribute as much as possible to your 401(k) and IRA, consider delaying retirement, and look for ways to cut costs when you retire.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jonah Leffler

Last Updated:

Views: 6060

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (65 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jonah Leffler

Birthday: 1997-10-27

Address: 8987 Kieth Ports, Luettgenland, CT 54657-9808

Phone: +2611128251586

Job: Mining Supervisor

Hobby: Worldbuilding, Electronics, Amateur radio, Skiing, Cycling, Jogging, Taxidermy

Introduction: My name is Jonah Leffler, I am a determined, faithful, outstanding, inexpensive, cheerful, determined, smiling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.