In this episode of Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin, the host explores custodial Roth IRAs, an often overlooked wealth-building strategy where parents can contribute their child's earned income to a tax-advantaged retirement account. By discussing high-profile examples like Kylie Jenner funding an account for her daughter Stormi, the episode illustrates the immense growth potential of starting retirement savings early.
The podcast offers practical advice on setting up custodial Roth IRAs, generating earned income for children through activities like entrepreneurial endeavors, and maximizing investment growth. It also highlights how funds can later be withdrawn tax-free for qualified education expenses, making these accounts a flexible option for families prioritizing college savings.
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Custodial Roth IRAs, funded with a child's earned income, offer a unique way for parents to help children start saving for retirement early. The podcast highlights the key benefit of Roth IRAs: tax-free distributions in retirement, unlike traditional IRAs where withdrawals are taxed.
Parents can open custodial Roth IRAs through major brokerages and actively invest the funds, as the podcast advises, commonly in low-cost index funds like the S&P 500 to maximize growth.
High-profile examples like Kylie Jenner's daughter Stormi and Beyoncé's Blue Ivy illustrate how custodial Roth IRAs can build substantial wealth. But even without celebrity income, any child's earnings from activities like lemonade stands or jobs can fund an account.
The podcast suggests parents encourage entrepreneurial activities to generate income for contributions. Those with businesses can also employ children and direct their pay into custodial Roth IRAs.
To set up a custodial Roth IRA, parents must confirm their brokerage offers them. Once opened, they can contribute up to the annual limit using the child's earned income and actively invest those funds.
Beyond retirement, the podcast notes Roth IRAs offer flexibility to withdraw funds penalty-free for qualified education expenses like tuition. Starting contributions early allows potentially sizeable balances by college age to cover such costs.
1-Page Summary
Custodial Roth IRAs present a unique opportunity for parents to introduce their children to the benefits of saving for retirement, utilizing the advantages of a Roth IRA's tax structure and the potential for long-term growth.
A custodial Roth IRA is an account set up for a child by a guardian where money contributed is grown tax-free until retirement. The podcast notes that these accounts are funded with income the child has earned from sources such as modeling, acting, or part-time jobs, contributing up to the allowable limit.
One of the key advantages of Roth IRAs, highlighted in the podcast, is that, unlike with traditional IRAs, distributions are tax-free upon retirement. This benefit is a crucial differentiator for Roth IRAs and contributes to their appeal for long-term savings.
Setting up a custodial Roth IRA is typically straightforward and can be done through most major brokerages, likely the same ones parents use for th ...
Custodial Roth IRAs and their benefits
Custodial Roth IRAs are becoming a popular method for securing a child's financial future, with high-profile cases illustrating their potential. Even children from non-celebrity families can benefit significantly from these accounts.
Kylie Jenner might have secured her daughter Stormi’s financial future by setting up a Custodial Roth IRA with the income Stormi earned from appearing in a Kylie Cosmetics commercial at the tender age of two. If Stormi continues to maximize her Roth IRA contributions yearly, she could amass over $14 million tax-free by retirement.
Similarly, Beyoncé's daughter Blue Ivy could be reaping the benefits of her earnings through a Custodial Roth IRA. Blue Ivy has the advantage of having earned income from her performances as a backup dancer for her mother and the use of her crying audio in Jay-Z's song "Glory," starting from infancy.
Children without celebrity-status can still create substantial retirement savings through Custodial Roth IRAs by allocating their earned income, regardless of scale, toward this long-term investment.
Everyday entrepreneurial ventures like lemonade stands, yard sales, and dog walking are not only charming childhood activitie ...
Leveraging Custodial Roth IRAs for children's financial future
A Custial Roth IRA offers parents the ability to invest in their child’s future. Here's how to set one up and manage it effectively.
To establish a Custodial Roth IRA, a parent must first ensure that their brokerage offers Custodial Roth IRAs, as not all platforms provide this option. If they do, the parent can typically open the account through that same brokerage.
It's important at the beginning to confirm whether the chosen brokerage supports Custodial Roth IRAs. Parents should do this before attempting to open an account.
Once the Custodial Roth IRA is open, the next steps involve funding and managing the account. Parents must contribute up to the ...
Steps to set up and manage a Custodial Roth IRA
Roth IRAs offer numerous tax advantages and even provide options for covering education expenses, making them a versatile financial tool for both retirement and college planning.
One of the major benefits of a Roth IRA is that investments grow tax-free, and distributions taken during retirement are also not taxed. This is in stark contrast to traditional IRAs, where withdrawals are taxed at the individual's current income tax rate.
The benefit of tax-free growth is particularly powerful when a Roth IRA is started early in life. With a Custodial Roth IRA, for example, a parent or guardian can start investing on behalf of a child. Due to the power of compounding, even small contributions can grow significantly over time.
Roth IRAs are not only for retirement savings. They offer the flexibility to withdraw funds penalty-free for qualified education expenses such as college tuition. Th ...
Tax advantages of Roth IRAs and using them for education expenses
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