The Many Reasons to Roth, and How Long You'll Live

44 snips

Nov 15, 2025

Dan Caplinger, a retirement and tax expert, joins to unpack the nuances between Roth and traditional retirement accounts. He highlights five key reasons to consider Roths, including tax-free withdrawals and avoiding required minimum distributions. The discussion also dives into the importance of life expectancy when planning retirement. Caplinger shares insights on how Roth accounts can lower taxes on Social Security and help families manage financial support for aging parents. Perfect for anyone looking to optimize their financial future!

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Plan Retirement For Longer Lifespans

People generally underestimate life expectancy, which affects retirement planning.
Robert Brokamp suggests planning to age 95 as a reasonable default for couples.

INSIGHT

Wealth-to-Income Ratio Is At Record Levels

Household net worth relative to after-tax income sits at an all-time high.
Robert Brokamp notes homeowners and stock investors, especially the wealthy, benefited most from recent gains.

ANECDOTE

Many Adults Financially Support Aging Parents

23% of Americans currently support aging parents financially and many borrow to do so.
Robert Brokamp shares that such support often prevents people from hitting their own goals.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

When saving for retirement, the first decision is how much. But the next decision is where: Do you contribute to a traditional retirement account or a Roth? By far, the majority of retirement assets are in traditional accounts, but that may not be the right choice for you. Motley Fool retirement experts Robert Brokamp and Dan Caplinger discuss five reasons why you might want to go with the Roth.

Also in this episode:

-Life expectancy is a crucial variable in retirement calculations – what should you assume?
-The ratio of household wealth to income is at an all-time high
-Almost 1 in 4 adults provide financial support to aging parents, often to their detriment
-Aim to max out your retirement accounts in 2025, but don’t wait until Dec. 31 – especially with 401(k)s

Host: Robert Brokamp
Guest: Dan Caplinger
Engineer: Bart Shannon

Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement.

We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices