Jennifer Walsh · July 15, 2026These two Fidelity products get confused constantly, and it’s an easy mix-up — both are aimed at minors, both are opened by a parent, and both have “Fidelity” and some version of “for kids” in the marketing. But they do genuinely different jobs, and a lot of parents end up with the wrong one for … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · July 15, 2026Parents ask me a version of this question in almost every consultation: “If we contribute $X a year to our kid’s Roth IRA, what will that actually be worth by the time they retire?” It’s a fair question — the numbers involved are large enough, and the time horizon long enough, that intuition alone doesn’t … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · July 15, 2026Most of what’s written about Schwab and Roth IRAs on this site is aimed at parents opening a custodial account for a minor. This review is different — it’s for adults opening their own Roth IRA at Schwab, whether that’s a first-time investor, someone consolidating accounts, or a parent who just helped their kid open … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · July 15, 2026“Should we just put the money in a high-yield savings account instead?” I get this question from parents who’ve done some homework, noticed savings APYs above 4%, and started wondering whether a custodial Roth IRA is worth the extra paperwork. It’s a reasonable question — and the honest answer is that these two accounts aren’t … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · July 4, 2026
Most of what’s written about Roth IRAs for kids is aimed at parents of young children being paid through a family business. Teenagers are a different — and honestly easier — case. A 15-, 16-, or 17-year-old with a W-2 from a lifeguarding job, a grocery store, or a summer camp has unambiguous earned income, … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · July 4, 2026
You opened a custodial Roth IRA when your child was young, contributed faithfully for years, and now there’s a milestone approaching: their 18th birthday. Parents ask me some version of this question constantly — “what actually happens to the account when my kid turns 18? Does the money just… become theirs?” The short answer: the … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · June 28, 2026
The backdoor Roth IRA is one of those financial strategies that sounds complicated but is actually quite simple once you see the steps clearly. If you’ve heard the term and wondered what it means — and whether it applies to you — this guide explains it plainly. First: Why a “Backdoor” Is Needed The Roth … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · June 18, 2026
One of the most common questions I receive as a financial planner is some version of this: “My kid earns money doing things around the house — can I pay them for that and then contribute to a Roth IRA for them?” It’s a genuinely important question, because the Roth IRA is an extraordinary wealth-building … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · June 8, 2026
As a fee-only financial planner who has helped hundreds of families open custodial Roth IRAs for their children, the question I hear most often is not “which account is best” — it’s “which account is cheapest.” That’s the right instinct. When you’re opening a Roth IRA for a teenager who earned $4,000 from a summer … Read more
Jennifer Walsh · May 29, 2026
A parent called me last spring with a question I hear constantly: “My daughter just turned 22, has her first real job, and I want to help her start a Roth IRA. Where should she open it?” Choosing a Roth IRA for an adult child sounds simple, but the differences between brokerages — fees, minimums, … Read more