Roth IRA

There may be several good reasons to withdraw funds from your IRA before 59 1/2, but be careful, because the penalties and fees can add up, writes MoneyShow personal finance expert Terry Savage.

If you're trying to save for retirement, a Roth IRA could be one of your most powerful tools. But until recently, high earners couldn't take advantage of these retirement accounts.

Obviously, what you invest in can mean the difference between getting rich and losing your shirt. But where you place those investments can be even more important -- especially if you end up picking winners.

By Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger If you have a refund check coming your way, consider using it to bolster your personal balance sheet. The average refund has been around $3,000 for the past two years. (Most people receive their refund within three weeks of filing their returns.) That's a nice...

If tax rates rise -- and experts say they will -- a way to grow your money tax-free starts looking mighty good. Meet the Roth IRA.

Like it or not, the rules for filing your taxes change every year. Even experts have to relearn the ropes annually, with law changes, new forms, and other hurdles posing a constant challenge. Here's a gallery of some of the more important changes hitting taxpayers this year.

Saving for retirement isn't just a smart move for the long run. It can also cut your current taxes. But what if reducing your taxes now is the wrong strategy? For many workers, a smarter option is a retirement plan that eliminates your tax bill down the road: a Roth 401(k).

Chalk it up to the nation's lingering economic malaise: More Americans this year plan to sock some of their tax refund away in savings. If you're among them, here are a few smart ways to stash that cash.

It may seem hard to save money for retirement: Fully 76% of Americans have saved less than $100,000, and 56% have saved less than $25,000. But once you learn how Oseola McCarty managed to set aside so much with so little, you'll see how few excuses you have.

There are many roads to financial security, but whatever path you follow, there are some mandatory steps everyone ought to take along the way. Alexa von Tobel, founder of LearnVest.com, cuts through the thicket of advice to give us her essential keys to sound money management.