If you mean a Roth IRA, yes you should always max that out before funding a generic brokerage account. The former grows tax-free. The latter generates dividends and capital gains that get taxed every year.
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If you mean a Roth IRA, yes you should always max that out before funding a generic brokerage acct The former grows tax-free. The latter generates dividends and capital gains that get taxed every year.
Did you happen to catch how negative the sentiment was when the stock price was less than half what it is now.
Take Morningstar with a grain of salt
This is a bit old but might be helpful:
https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2012/06/20/should-you-contribute-to-a-403b-or-an-ira
I don't follow it, so no. I take everything Morningstar says with a grain of salt, it's one of several sources I use. They do have some good core information.
I check out the ratings also however with many of the stocks I've followed over a period of several years there seems to be little correlation between the rating and the stock performance.
Yeah, I'm pretty cautious using morningstar but their charts and reports are pretty thorough. I just don't pay too much attention to their star ratings.
If you mean a Roth IRA, yes you should always max that out before funding a generic brokerage account. The former grows tax-free. The latter generates dividends and capital gains that get taxed every year.
And here's a runner.
Eastman Kodak, once a top US stock and component of the Dow Jones, recently very much in the doldrums, just doubled in price to $5 on news that they will be taking a runner in Blockchain tech and issuing "Kodak Coins."
I wonder if GoPro will be next.

Ok, I didn't go to college so I will just start with that.
I have read the technical differences between an IRA and a ROTH and I still don't get it.
Can someone with real-world experience tell me why I should pick one or the other?
Investment Profile: age 30-40, has 401k, ESPP, and Stock Grants, believes in the power of dividends, can handle investments on the riskier side for now if growth is a potential, saves every single $2 bill he comes across.![]()
Ok, I didn't go to college so I will just start with that.
I have read the technical differences between an IRA and a ROTH and I still don't get it.
Can someone with real-world experience tell me why I should pick one or the other?
Investment Profile: age 30-40, has 401k, ESPP, and Stock Grants, believes in the power of dividends, can handle investments on the riskier side for now if growth is a potential, saves every single $2 bill he comes across.![]()
Ok, I didn't go to college so I will just start with that.
I have read the technical differences between an IRA and a ROTH and I still don't get it.
Can someone with real-world experience tell me why I should pick one or the other?
Investment Profile: age 30-40, has 401k, ESPP, and Stock Grants, believes in the power of dividends, can handle investments on the riskier side for now if growth is a potential, saves every single $2 bill he comes across.![]()
Easy to do.
Put $1,000 in a stock lets say HRL Hormel Foods where I worked. If I would have done this in 1980 this would be the outcome
IRA $1,000 1980 dollars adjusted stock price in May 1980 $0.23* or 4347 share today. Today's value $36.40 a share. $158,260.00 ALL is taxable when you take it out. Say 20% or $31,652 in taxes you get to keep $126,607
Now Roth IRA same $1000 but you paid tax before you put it in the Roth IRA. So you are out an additional $200 if you are in a 20% bracket. Growth is the same and you still end up with the same $158,000 you get to keep it all without paying tax on it when you take it out after retirement.
The above growth numbers are real. I did buy $25.00 in HRL stock each week when I worked. Wish I would have put it in a ROTH IRA.
*Many splits and lots of growth. I have not included the divided that is near 2% per year.
The difference is that with a standard IRA you are getting the tax break during your peak earning years when tax rates are higher. When you withdraw from the IRA your income and tax rate are presumably lower. This is the advantage of the standard IRA.
That applies to high earners who won't make as much when they retire. But believe it or not, there are actually some people who will maintain a similar income level in retirement (or even more if they keep working or have rental property)
Plus, with how bankrupt this nation is, most people believe tax rates will be higher in the future.