Roth IRAs Save Dessert for Last

"I think people of all ages should be thinking about Roth IRAs, especially those who are young," Fahlund said. Otherwise, if you put pretax money into a savings plan at age 20 and leave it in until age 70 1/2 when you are required to begin withdrawals, "you have been growing taxes for Uncle Sam" for 50 years. Only a portion is yours. That's useful to keep in mind when you look at those satisfying sums in your tax-deductible retirement savings account statements. It may be a nice pile of money, but it's not all yours.

"Even when you are in your 60s, I still think that if you can afford to contribute after-tax, that's what you want to be doing," Fahlund said. For one thing, there are no minimum distribution requirements on the Roth IRAs. You can leave that money untouched as long as you like, whether you live to be 90 or die before you need it. "That's a fabulous legacy to leave to your children or grandchildren," she said, "but if you need it, it's yours -- not three-quarters of it is yours and the rest is Uncle Sam's."

Additionally, there is no age limit for contributing to a Roth IRA. Assuming you have earned income, you can contribute past age 70 1/2 . Fahlund also notes that Roth IRAs are more flexible in some respects than tax-deductible IRAs or 401(k) accounts. You may withdraw your principal -- the amount you have contributed -- at any point, although there are restrictions on when you can withdraw earnings without paying taxes.

Once you turn 59 1/2 , you can withdraw the earnings in a Roth IRA tax-free as long as it has been five years since you made your first contribution to the account. And no matter when you make the contribution, even if it's on Dec. 31, it's counted as having been made on Jan. 1 of that year.

Though your tax rate may go down when you retire, tax-free income is still a good thing, said Fahlund.

"I haven't met a retiree yet who is not supersensitive to how much they're paying the government," she said of retirees taking distributions from traditional IRAs. "In the end, you really like to think of it as all yours."

Have you had trouble trying to withdraw money from your IRA after you've retired? If so, and you're willing to talk about it on the record, I'd like to hear from you. Please e-mail hamiltonm@washpost.com.