3 Reasons to Skip a Roth IRA in 2026

If you don't want to struggle financially in retirement, then you'll need to do your best to build up a solid nest egg. Social Security pays the average retiree today around $2,000 a month. If that sounds like it won't come close to cutting it, then it's important to save plenty on your own.

It's equally important to find the right home for your retirement savings. And in that regard, you may have a number of retirement plans to choose from.

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Roth IRAs tend to be a popular choice because they offer a number of big benefits. Your investment gains are yours to enjoy tax-free, and withdrawals are tax-free in retirement. Roth IRA also don't force you to take required minimum distributions like traditional IRAs and 401(k)s do.

But that doesn't mean a Roth IRA is right for everyone. And if any of these scenarios apply to you, you may want to skip a Roth IRA in 2026 and choose another retirement account instead.

1. Your income is rising

If your income is rising in 2026, you may find yourself in a higher tax bracket. And if so, that's a good reason to choose a traditional retirement account.

A Roth IRA won't give you a tax break on your contributions. But if you're adjusting to being in a higher tax bracket, that's a break you might need.

You may also want to skip a Roth IRA in 2026 if you expect to take a lot of gains in a taxable brokerage account. In that case, the tax break on contributions might help with your overall IRS bill.

2. You're close to retirement age and don't have non-Roth savings

If you've been saving in a Roth IRA for many years, you may be inclined to keep doing so in 2026. But if you're nearing retirement, and the bulk, or all, of your savings are in a Roth account, you may specifically want to put some money into a traditional IRA or 401(k) plan.

The reason? It's a good idea to have some taxable income in retirement. First, you never know what tax credits might arise. And if you don't have taxable income to offset, you may not get to claim them.

Also, part of your retirement plan may be to donate money to charity. But if you don't have enough taxable income, you may not get the deductions you could otherwise snag.

3. You don't trust yourself to avoid early withdrawals

With a traditional IRA or 401(k), there's a big incentive to leave your money untouched until age 59 and 1/2. Early withdrawals could trigger a 10% penalty, causing you to lose out financially.

With a Roth IRA, because your contributions are made on an after-tax basis, there's no penalty for an early withdrawal if you touch the principal portion of your account only -- not the gains portion. But that could be considered a good thing or a bad one.

On a positive note, it gives you access to extra funds you might need in a pinch without having to worry about a penalty. On the other hand, it could open the door to temptation.

You might tap your Roth IRA well ahead of retirement knowing there's no major loss of savings to worry about in the process. If you don't trust yourself to leave your Roth IRA alone, then you may want to stick to a traditional retirement plan so you're more disciplined.

Roth IRAs offer plenty of benefits, and they're a great savings tool for many people. But if any of these points resonate with you, you may want to steer clear of a Roth IRA in 2026.

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