What is an IRA?

Saving for retirement

An Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is a tax-advantaged investment account designed to help you save toward retirement. IRAs are one of the most effective ways to save and invest for the future. It allows your money to grow on a tax-deferred or tax-free basis, depending on the type of account – see the table below.

Types of IRAs

Determining which IRA is best for your unique situation depends on your age, income, and financial goals. Please consult with your tax advisor for additional details and for help to decide which one is right for you.

Need guidance? Contact us

Compare IRAs

Features	Traditional IRA	Roth IRA
Description	Tax-deferred retirement savings account: No tax on the portion of your income you invest No tax on additional value your investments gain Potential taxes on withdrawals in retirement	Tax-free retirement savings account: Funded with income that has been taxed No tax on additional value your investments gain No taxes on withdrawals in retirement
Eligibility	Any age	Any age Income thresholds apply
Contribution limits	Under age 50: $6,000 per year Over age 50: $7,000 per year Already have an IRA with U.S. Bancorp Investments? Contribute now.	Under age 50: $6,000 per year Over age 50: $7,000 per year Already have an IRA with U.S. Bancorp Investments? Contribute now.
Distribution and withdrawals	Required minimum distributions start at age 72 (distributions are taxed) Penalty for withdrawals before age 59 ½	No required minimum distributions Penalty for withdrawals before age 59 ½
Availability	Available through both U.S. Bank and U.S. Bancorp Investments	Available through both U.S. Bank and U.S. Bancorp Investments

3 easy ways to open an IRA

It's easy to open and fund an IRA. Whether you prefer investing on your own or want personal investment guidance, we have an option to fit your needs.

Automated Investor

For convenient investing at a low cost, open an IRA through Automated Investor from U.S. Bancorp Investments. This robo-advisor combines our expertise and technology to automatically manage your retirement account.

Learn about Automated Investor

Self-directed investing

To make investments on your own, open a self-directed brokerage account from U.S. Bancorp Investments. This lets you trade stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs¹ and more, on your own.

Learn about self-directed investing

Financial professional

When you work with a dedicated wealth professional through U.S. Bank or U.S. Bancorp Investments, you’ll have a single point of contact to help you guide your IRA strategy.

Work with an advisor or banker

SEP IRA

Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SEP) – a tax-deferred retirement plan for anyone who is self-employed, owns a business, employs others or is an independent contractor
Contribution limit – up to 25% of compensation for yourself and employees
Available through both U.S. Bank and U.S. Bancorp Investments

Want to know more about your IRA options?

Fund your IRA with an existing account.

401(k) and 403(b) rollovers

U.S. Bancorp Investments and U.S. Bank make it easy to rollover² your employer-sponsored account.

Learn about rollovers

IRA transfers

Options for transferring your IRA:

Authorize a transfer. Authorize the transfer of funds from an existing IRA into your new IRA. Some fees may apply.
Request a check. Request a distribution check payable to you. Deposit the funds within 60 days to potentially avoid tax and penalties. Your limit is one rollover per 12-month period.

Insights

401(k) Rollovers

How to transfer your previous employer’s retirement account and get a consolidated view of your finances.

How to rollover

IRA vs. 401(k): What's the difference?

If you're eligible, it's possible you could contribute to all three, so it's helpful to know how they compare.

Read article

4 benefits of an IRA

Look beyond your 401(k) or pension to maximize the power of your retirement savings.