5-Year Rule for Roth IRA Withdrawals The first Roth IRA five-year rule is used to determine if the earnings (interest) from your Roth IRA are tax-free. To be tax-free, you must withdraw the earnings: On or after the date you turn 59½ At least five tax years after the first contribution to any Roth IRA you own5.

What is the Roth IRA 5-Year Rule important guidelines for withdrawing IRA earnings?

1. The 5-year rule for withdrawing earnings. It states the Roth IRA has to be at least five years old before you can withdraw any of its earnings. Even then, you may have to pay taxes and/or penalties (generally 10% of the distributed sum) depending on your age and how long you’ve held the account.

Within the five-year period, you have complete flexibility in the distributions: You can take a lump sum or make withdrawals each year. You just need to be sure the Roth IRA is emptied by the end of the five-year period or you will face a 50% penalty on the amount not taken in that year.

What happens if you withdraw from a Roth IRA after 5 years?

If you are the spouse, you can stretch out withdrawals over your lifetime. If you take a distribution from a Roth IRA that is fewer than 5 years old, the portion of the withdrawal that comes from investment earnings could be subject to income tax and an early withdrawal penalty.

Do you have to pay taxes on a Roth IRA withdrawal?

If you take a qualified withdrawal from a Roth IRA, you won’t pay income tax on the money. But you must be older than 59 1/2 to take a qualified withdrawal and your Roth IRA must be at least five years old. You can get your contributions back without paying any income taxes if you don’t meet these criteria, but earnings on the account are taxed.

How much can you take out of a Roth IRA?

Withdrawals from a Roth IRA you’ve had more than five years. You use the withdrawal (up to a $10,000 lifetime maximum) to pay for a first-time home purchase. You use the withdrawal to pay for qualified education expenses.

How old do you have to be to take a Roth IRA withdrawal?

But you must be older than 59 1/2 to take a qualified withdrawal and your Roth IRA must be at least five years old. You can get your contributions back without paying any income taxes if you don’t meet these criteria, but earnings on the account are taxed.