Traditional and Roth IRA withdrawal rules and early withdrawal tax
Key Takeaways
- Early withdrawals from a Traditional IRA or Roth IRA can have tax consequences.
- A Roth IRA early withdrawal penalty may apply to taxable earnings distributions that don’t meet IRS requirements for a qualified withdrawal.
- To make a tax-free qualified withdrawal from a Roth IRA, the account generally must be open for at least five years, and you must meet certain qualifying conditions.
- Traditional IRA withdrawals before age 59 ½ are generally subject to a 10% additional tax, unless an exception applies.
- Certain situations, such as higher education expenses, first-time home purchases, and some medical expenses may allow you to avoid the 10% additional tax.
If you’re deciding between a Traditional IRA and a Roth IRA, understanding the withdrawal rules can help you avoid unexpected taxes and make the most of your retirement savings.
Roth IRA Withdrawal Rules
Generally, withdrawals from a Roth IRA are tax-free if they are qualified distributions.
When can you take out a Roth IRA withdrawal tax-free?
A qualified distribution meets both of these requirements:
- You’ve had the Roth IRA for at least five years, and
- One of the following applies:
- You are age 59 ½ or older.
- You’re disabled.
- You’re using up to $10,000 for a first-time home purchase.
- You’re a beneficiary receiving funds after the account owner’s death.
If the five-year rule isn’t met, earnings may be taxable even if the withdrawal otherwise qualifies. A full list of ways to withdraw money from a Roth IRA is available below.
Can you withdraw from Roth IRA funds before retirement?
Yes, you can withdraw from Roth IRA funds before retirement, but the IRS applies ordering rules to determine whether a withdrawal is taxable.
Withdrawals are treated in this order:
- Regular contributions
- Conversion and rollover contributions (first in, first out)
- Earnings
Because contributions are withdrawn first, many Roth IRA owners can access their original contributions tax-free. However, earnings may be taxable and subject to the 10% additional tax if the withdrawal isn’t qualified.
How Roth IRA withdrawals are taxed
| Type of Withdrawal | Taxes Owed? | 10% Additional Tax? |
| Regular contributions | No | No |
| Qualified withdrawal of earnings | No | No |
| Nonqualified withdrawal of earnings | May be taxable | May apply |
| Converted amounts withdrawn before meeting holding period requirements | Generally not taxable if taxes were already paid on the conversion | May apply |
Roth IRA early withdrawal penalty and rules
A Roth IRA early withdrawal penalty generally refers to the IRS’s 10% additional tax on certain early distributions.
The additional tax may apply when:
- The distribution isn’t a qualified distribution, or
- Converted funds are withdrawn before meeting applicable holding-period requirements.
However, several exceptions can allow you to avoid the 10% additional tax.
Roth IRA early withdrawal tax exceptions
The following situations may allow you to avoid the 10% additional tax if IRS requirements are met:
- Qualified higher education expenses
- First-time home purchases (up to $10,000)
- Certain unreimbursed medical expenses
- Health insurance premiums for qualifying unemployed individuals
- Total and permanent disability
- Terminal illness distributions
- Qualified reservist distributions
- IRS levy distributions
- Certain domestic abuse and emergency expense distributions
- Distributions to beneficiaries after the account owner’s death
- Substantially equal periodic payments
- Qualified charitable distributions
- Qualified birth or adoption distributions
- Certain disaster-related distributions
Can you withdraw from a Roth IRA for education expenses and avoid a Roth IRA early withdrawal penalty?
Yes, there is a way you can withdraw from a Roth IRA for education expenses without triggering a Roth IRA early withdrawal penalty. You generally won’t owe the 10% additional tax on a Roth IRA withdrawal used to pay qualified higher education expenses for yourself, your spouse, child, or grandchild if IRS requirements are met. Depending on the source of the funds and how long you’ve owned the Roth IRA, taxes may still apply to some earnings.
Converted amounts from Traditional to Roth IRA
If you convert a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, you’ll generally pay taxes on the conversion amount when the conversion occurs. Qualified withdrawals of converted amounts are generally tax-free.
A separate five-year rule applies to conversions. Each conversion made starts its own five-year holding period. If you withdraw converted funds too soon, the 10% additional tax may apply unless an exception is available.
Roth IRA Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)
Unlike Traditional IRAs, Roth IRA owners generally aren’t required to take minimum distributions during their lifetime.
This allows funds to continue growing tax-free for as long as you choose. However, beneficiaries who inherit a Roth IRA may be subject to distribution requirements.
Traditional IRA Withdrawal rules
Traditional IRA distributions
Most Traditional IRA distributions are taxable in the year you receive them.
Withdrawals made before age 59 ½ are generally subject to a 10% additional tax unless an exception applies.
Common exceptions include:
- Rollovers
- Qualified charitable distributions
- Qualified birth or adoption distributions
- Certain disaster-related distributions
Traditional IRA early withdrawal tax exceptions
The following situations may allow you to avoid the 10% additional tax if IRS requirements are met:
- Qualified higher education expenses
- First-time home purchases (up to $10,000)
- Certain unreimbursed medical expenses
- Health insurance premiums for qualifying unemployed individuals
- Total and permanent disability
- Terminal illness distributions
- Qualified reservist distributions
- IRS levy distributions
- Certain domestic abuse and emergency expense distributions
- Distributions to beneficiaries after the account owner’s death
- Substantially equal periodic payments
Traditional IRA withdrawal rules after death
Rules for inherited Traditional IRAs depend on:
- Whether the original account owner had started taking distributions
- The beneficiary’s relationship to the original owner
- When the IRA was inherited
Many non-spouse beneficiaries must fully distribute inherited IRAs within 10 years. In other situations, life-expectancy rules or the five-year rule may apply.
Because inherited IRA rules can be complex, consider consulting a tax professional to clarify your unique situation.
Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) for Traditional IRAs
Traditional IRAs are generally subject to required minimum distribution (RMD) rules beginning at the age established by current IRS regulations.
Failure to take required distributions can result in IRS penalties.
Need help reporting IRA withdrawals and Roth conversions?
Understanding Roth IRA withdrawal rules, Traditional IRA distribution requirements, Roth conversions, and potential early withdrawal taxes can help you avoid costly filing mistakes.
Whether you’re wondering when you can take out a Roth IRA, whether you can withdraw from a Roth IRA without taxes, how to report a Roth conversion, or how to avoid a Roth IRA early withdrawal penalty, H&R Block tax pros can help answer your questions and ensure everything is reported correctly.
Whether you choose to file with a tax pro or file with H&R Block Online, you can rest assured that we’ll get you the biggest refund possible, along with proper guidance in knowing you’ve filed with complete accuracy.
File with H&R Block to get your max refund.
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