Can I Open A Roth IRA For My Child? | Greenbush Financial Group (2024)

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Parents will often ask us: “What type of account can I setup for my kids that will help them to get a head start financially in life"?”. One of the most powerful wealth building tools that you can setup for your children is a Roth IRA because all of accumulation between now and when they withdrawal it in retirement will be all tax free. If your child has $10,000 in their Roth IRA today, assuming they never make another deposit to the account, and it earns 8% per year, 40 years from now the account balance would be $217,000.

Contribution Limits

The maximum contribution that an individual under that age of 50 can make to a Roth IRA in 2022 is the LESSER of:

  • $6,000

  • 100% of earned income

For most children between the age of 15 and 21, their Roth IRA contributions tend to be capped by the amount of their earned income. The most common sources of earned income for young adults within this age range are:

  • Part-time employment

  • Summer jobs

  • Paid internships

  • Wages from parent owned company

If they add up all of their W-2's at the end of the year and they total $3,000, the maximum contribution that you can make to their Roth IRA for that tax year is $3,000.

Roth IRA's for Minors

If you child is under the age of 18, you can still establish a Roth IRA for them. However, it will be considered a "custodial IRA". Since minors cannot enter into contracts, you as the parent serve as the custodian to their account. You will need to sign all of the forms to setup the account and select the investment allocation for the IRA. It's important to understand that even though you are listed as a custodian on the account, all contributions made to the account belong 100% to the child. Once the child turns age 18, they have full control over the account.

Age 18+

If the child is age 18 or older, they will be required to sign the forms to setup the Roth IRA and it's usually a good opportunity to introduce them to the investing world. We encourage our clients to bring their children to the meeting to establish the account so they can learn about investing, stocks, bonds, the benefits of compounded interest, and the stock market in general. It's a great learning experience.

Contribution Deadline & Tax Filing

The deadline to make a Roth IRA contribution is April 15th following the end of the calendar year. We often get the question: "Does my child need to file a tax return to make a Roth IRA contribution?" The answer is "no". If their taxable income is below the threshold that would otherwise require them to file a tax return, they are not required to file a tax return just because a Roth IRA was funded in their name.

Distribution Options

While many of parents establish Roth IRA’s for their children to give them a head start on saving for retirement, these accounts can be used to support other financial goals as well. Roth contributions are made with after tax dollars. The main benefit of having a Roth IRA is if withdrawals are made after the account has been established for 5 years and the IRA owner has obtained age 59½, there is no tax paid on the investment earnings distributed from the account.

If you distribute the investment earnings from a Roth IRA before reaching age 59½, the account owner has to pay income tax and a 10% early withdrawal penalty on the amount distributed. However, income taxes and penalties only apply to the “earnings” portion of the account. The contributions, since they were made with after tax dollar, can be withdrawal from the Roth IRA at any time without having to pay income taxes or penalties.

Example: I deposit $5,000 to my daughters Roth IRA and four years from now the account balance is $9,000. My daughter wants to buy a house but is having trouble coming up with the money for the down payment. She can withdrawal $5,000 out of her Roth IRA without having to pay taxes or penalties since that amount represents the after tax contributions that were made to the account. The $4,000 that represents the earnings portion of the account can remain in the account and continue to accumulate tax-free. Not only did I provide my daughter with a head start on her retirement savings but I was also able to help her with the purchase of her first house.

We have seen clients use this flexible withdrawal strategy to help their children pay for their wedding, pay for college, pay off student loans, and to purchase their first house.

Not Limited To Just Your Children

This wealth accumulate strategy is not limited to just your children. We have had grandparents fund Roth IRA's for their grandchildren and aunts fund Roth IRA's for their nephews. They do not have to be listed as a dependent on your tax return to establish a custodial IRA. If you are funded a Roth IRA for a minor or a college student that is not your child, you may have to obtain the total amount of wages on their W-2 form from their parents or the student because the contribution could be capped based on what they made for the year.

Business Owners

Sometime we see business owners put their kids on payroll for the sole purpose of providing them with enough income to make the $6,000 contribution to their Roth IRA. Also, the child is usually in a lower tax bracket than their parents, so the wages earned by the child are typically taxed at a lower tax rate. A special note with this strategy, you have to be able to justify the wages being paid to your kids if the IRS or DOL comes knocking at your door.

Can I Open A Roth IRA For My Child? | Greenbush Financial Group (4)

About Michael.........

Hi, I’m Michael Ruger. I’m the managing partner of Greenbush Financial Group and the creator of the nationally recognized Money Smart Board blog . I created the blog because there are a lot of events in life that require important financial decisions. The goal is to help our readers avoid big financial missteps, discover financial solutions that they were not aware of, and to optimize their financial future.

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I'm an expert in financial planning and investments, and I'll provide information related to the concepts used in the article you've shared about setting up Roth IRAs for children. The article discusses various aspects of Roth IRAs for minors, contribution limits, custodial IRAs, age requirements, contribution deadlines, tax implications, and distribution options. Let's break down each concept:

  1. Roth IRA for Children:

    • A Roth IRA is a retirement savings account that allows individuals to contribute after-tax money, and qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free.
    • It can be a powerful tool for children to start saving for their future.
  2. Contribution Limits:

    • The maximum contribution limit for a Roth IRA is determined by the lesser of $6,000 (as of 2022) or 100% of the earned income.
    • Children between the ages of 15 and 21 typically contribute based on their earned income sources, such as part-time jobs, summer jobs, internships, or wages from a parent-owned company.
  3. Custodial IRAs:

    • If a child is under 18, the Roth IRA is considered a "custodial IRA."
    • Parents serve as custodians, sign forms to set up the account, and make investment decisions.
    • Contributions made to the account belong 100% to the child, and they gain full control of the account at age 18.
  4. Ages 18+:

    • At age 18 or older, the child can sign the forms to set up the Roth IRA themselves.
    • It's an opportunity to introduce them to investing and financial planning.
  5. Contribution Deadline & Tax Filing:

    • Roth IRA contributions can be made until April 15th following the end of the calendar year.
    • Children are not required to file a tax return solely because a Roth IRA was funded in their name if their taxable income is below the threshold.
  6. Distribution Options:

    • Roth IRA withdrawals are tax-free if the account has been established for 5 years and the owner is at least 59½.
    • Early withdrawals of earnings may incur income tax and a 10% penalty, but contributions can be withdrawn at any time without tax or penalty.
  7. Not Limited to Your Children:

    • The strategy of funding Roth IRAs for minors is not limited to your own children.
    • Grandparents, aunts, and others can fund custodial IRAs for minors.
    • Contributions may be capped based on the minor's earnings.
  8. Business Owners:

    • Some business owners put their children on the payroll to help them qualify for Roth IRA contributions.
    • Children are often in a lower tax bracket than their parents, making this strategy tax-efficient.
    • Proper record-keeping is essential to justify the wages paid to children.

These concepts highlight the benefits of starting Roth IRAs for children, the rules and limitations associated with such accounts, and the potential financial advantages they can provide in the future. Please note that the information provided here is a summary of the article's key points.

Can I Open A Roth IRA For My Child? | Greenbush Financial Group (2024)
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