A Roth IRA differs from a traditional IRA in several ways. Contributions to a Roth IRA are not deductible (and you don't report the contributions on your tax return), but distributions that are qualified or are a tax return are not subject to taxation. The incentive to contribute to a Roth IRA is to generate savings for the future and not get a current tax deduction. Contributions to Roth IRAs are not deductible during the year they are made; rather, they consist of after-tax money.
That's why you don't pay taxes on funds when you withdraw them; your tax bill is already paid. First, the Roth IRA is one of the retirement accounts that could qualify for the savings credit when you file your taxes. By contributing to a Roth IRA, you can get a non-refundable tax credit that reduces or eliminates your tax bill. Income from a Roth account may be tax-exempt rather than deferred.
Therefore, you can't deduct contributions to a Roth IRA. However, withdrawals you make during retirement may be tax-free. Converting to a Roth IRA from a taxable retirement account, such as a 401 (k) plan or a traditional IRA, has no impact on the contribution limit; however, making a conversion increases the MAGI and may cause or increase the phasing out of the Roth IRA contribution amount. Under certain conditions, Roth IRAs also allow tax-free earnings to be withdrawn, which are subject to taxation in a traditional IRA.
The five-year Roth IRA rule states that you can't withdraw your earnings tax-free until at least five years after you've first contributed to a Roth IRA. You may be able to get around income limits by converting a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, which is called a clandestine Roth IRA. Every year you make a contribution to the Roth IRA, the custodian or trustee will send you Form 5498 with information about IRA contributions.
