Personal Accounts

Let’s grow your future

Our easy and affordable IRAs can put financial wellness on your roadmap.

Set up your IRA
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Retirement accounts for individuals with big goals

IRA stands for Individual Retirement Account. Unlike a 401(k), IRAs aren’t tied to an employer and they can be easier to withdraw from. This flexibility can make IRAs a good retirement option for people making a change today or planning for the future.

Why Guideline IRA

Built for long-term growth

  • Intelligent investing

    Our investment portfolios rebalance automatically to help you stay on track for retirement. Learn more

  • No transaction fees

    We won’t nickel and dime your account. We don’t charge fees for distributions, rollovers and more.1

  • Low-cost funds

    The estimated total AUM fees for our managed portfolios can be under 0.15%.2

  • Accessibility + affordability

    Fair pricing

    Accounts start at $2/month plus an annual 0.08% account fee.3

Save for retirement with confidence

Once your account is set up, our tools, expertise and support can help you create your roadmap to retirement.

  • Investment portfolio recommendations
  • Comprehensive Help Center articles
  • Live support via phone or email
Guideline dashboard for IRA clients
Guideline dashboard for IRA clients

Let’s help you find the IRA that works for you

  • Traditional IRA

    • Pre-tax contributions

    • Investment growth is tax deferred

    • Taxes paid at time of retirement

    • Contribute up to $7,000/year4

    With a traditional IRA, contributions are made pre-tax, just like a 401(k). That means you don’t pay taxes on the funds you contribute to your retirement account. Once your funds are invested, they’ll grow tax-deferred. When you retire, the money you withdraw is treated as taxable income. The tax rate will depend on the federal tax bracket you fall in when you withdraw.

    Contribution limits to both traditional and Roth IRAs for tax year 2025 are capped at $7,000 if you are under 50 years old, and up to $8,000 if you are 50 or older. For 2024, the contribution limit is $7,000 if under 50 years old, and up to $8,000 if 50 or older. (If you make less than the annual IRS contribution limit for a given tax year, your contribution limit is your taxable compensation for the year.)

  • Roth IRA

    • After-tax contributions

    • Investments grow tax free

    • Tax-free withdrawals on qualified distributions in retirement5

    • Contribute up to $7,000/year4

    Roth IRAs are funded with after-tax dollars, ie. after you or your employer takes out taxes for state, federal, etc. and gives you your paycheck. Once funded, your investments will grow tax-free. Unlike a traditional IRA, with a Roth IRA, contributions can be withdrawn at any time without incurring penalties or taxes. And once you reach retirement age, qualified withdrawals are tax and penalty free.

    In addition to annual contribution limits, Roth IRAs have income restrictions. For example, for contributions allocated to 2025, income restrictions are capped at $165,000 for an individual ($161,000 for 2024), and $246,000 for married couples filing jointly ($240,000 for 2024).

  • Rollovers

    Many savers open an IRA to “roll over” funds from existing retirement accounts like a 401(k). But in reality, a Rollover IRA is a traditional IRA or Roth IRA with the same tax advantages and contribution limits.

    401(k) accounts are tied to the company that sponsors the 401(k) plan. When you change jobs, your 401(k) stays under your old company’s plan, which means you can’t make any new contributions.

    With an IRA (traditional or Roth), you can transfer as much money as you want from your other retirement accounts. And you can make new contributions up to the annual limit each year going forward. By consolidating multiple accounts, it can be easier to keep track of assets and grow your savings.6

Invest in your future.
Set up an IRA in about 5 minutes.

Let’s get started

Frequently 
asked questions

How much money do I need to open an IRA with Guideline?

$0. We don’t have a minimum initial deposit requirement, so you can open a Guideline IRA today, and fund it when you’re ready.

Can I contribute to an IRA if I already contribute to a 401(k)?

Yes, you can still contribute to an IRA up to the annual contribution limit, so long as you meet the IRA’s eligibility requirements: For Roth IRAs, your allowable contribution may be limited or reduced to zero depending on income and marital status. The same is true with regards to your eligibility to make pre-tax contributions to a Traditional IRA. Anyone is able to contribute post-tax dollars to a Traditional IRA regardless of income or marital status provided you have earned income.

What fees does Guideline charge for an IRA?

Pricing is $2/month, plus a 0.08% annual account fee3. If your account balance is $10,000 or more, the monthly fee is $4/month.

Pricing is charged monthly if you have an account balance. Learn more

Can I have both a Traditional IRA account and Roth IRA account?

Yes. By opening a Guideline IRA, you can choose to make traditional and/or Roth IRA contributions (subject to income limits). However, the total combined contributions must not exceed the annual limit.

When is the deadline to make IRA contributions?

IRA contributions must be made by the following year’s tax filing deadline. For 2022 contributions, the deadline will be April 18, 2023.

What qualifies as earned income?

Earned income includes all the taxable income you received from a job or self-employment. It can include wages, salary, tips, bonuses, and commissions.

When can I make a withdrawal from an IRA account?

Both traditional and Roth IRAs allow you to withdraw your money at any time, but if you have not reached the age of 59½ at the time of withdrawal, you may be subject to taxes and penalties.

Distributions from traditional IRAs are usually treated as ordinary income and are taxable at the IRA owner’s income tax rate. Roth IRA contributions can be withdrawn at any time without incurring taxes, and qualified distributions are not subject to the 10% early distribution penalty.6

Can I contribute to a Roth IRA?

Your eligibility to contribute to a Roth IRA depends on modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) which is the amount of income you claim in your tax filing and, if you’re married, your tax filing status. Generally speaking, for 2025, if you are single and your MAGI is less than $150,000 you can make the full contribution. The IRS has more details on these rules.

What's the difference between a traditional IRA and a SEP IRA?

A Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) IRA is a type of retirement benefit that is opened by an employer, whereas traditional IRAs are opened by individuals.

Unlike traditional IRAs, SEP IRA accounts are funded by business income and therefore only funded by employers, not the individual account owner. They also have much higher contribution limits: up to 25% of your annual compensation, capped at $69,000 for 2024 and $70,000 for 2025. Learn more about our SEP IRA.

Can I contribute to a traditional IRA?

Anyone with earned income can contribute to a traditional IRA, however the amount you are able to deduct from your taxable income depends on your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) and whether you are covered by an employer sponsored retirement plan. If you are not eligible to take a tax deduction for traditional IRA contributions, you may need to file additional tax documents. Learn more

  • 1

    See here for more information regarding Guideline's fees.

  • 2
    The estimated total AUM fee of 0.22% combines the average fund fees for Guideline’s managed portfolios of 0.07% with an assumed account fee of 0.15%. Alternative account fee pricing is available, ranging from 0.15% to 0.35%. Contact Sales at hello@guideline.com to learn more about exclusive pricing options available in Enterprise tier. This information is provided for illustrative purposes only and the actual total AUM fees will vary based on the portfolio and/or funds selected. Guideline’s managed portfolios have blended expense ratios ranging from 0.067% to 0.069% of assets under management. Expense ratios for custom portfolios will vary. These expense ratios are subject to change by and paid to the fund(s). View full fund lineup. The assumed annual account fee applied to assets under management is deducted on a monthly basis. See our Form ADV 2A Brochure for more information regarding fees.
  • 3
    The annual account fee of 0.08% applied to assets under management is calculated and deducted on a monthly basis at 1/12 of the annual stated rate (0.08%) based on the account balance on the last day of each month.
  • 4

    Subject to IRS cost-of-living adjustments. In 2025, individuals can contribute up to $7,000 between their traditional and Roth accounts. If you’re 50 or older, you can contribute an additional $1,000 ($8,000 in total). Starter 401(k) employee can contribute up to $6,000. If you’re 50 or older, you can contribute an additional $1,000.

  • 5

    This information is provided for illustrative purposes only, and is not intended to be construed as investment or tax advice. We recommend that you consult a qualified tax and financial advisor to determine the appropriate investment strategy for you. Guideline makes no guarantees with regard to investment performance, as investing involves risk and your investments may lose value.

  • 6
    Prior to reaching retirement age, withdrawals of Roth contributions are tax and penalty free, but early withdrawal of earnings may be subject to penalties. Qualified Roth distributions will be tax and penalty free if the following conditions are met: (a) you're over age 59 ½ AND (b) it has been 5 years since your first Roth IRA contribution. Please consult a qualified financial advisor or tax professional to determine what is applicable to your financial situation.

Guideline.com is owned and operated by Guideline, Inc. This website contains content from Guideline, Inc. and its affiliates, each a separate entity with different regulatory marketing requirements and standards. References to "our" or "we" on this website refer solely to Guideline RK, LLC unless otherwise specifically stated.

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Guideline, Inc. is a technology company that provides an integrated platform to companies who seek to work with 1) Guideline RK, LLC ("Guideline") and/or 2) Guideline Investments, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser ("RIA"), both of which are wholly owned by Guideline Holdings, LLC. Guideline Holdings, LLC is wholly owned by Guideline, Inc. Neither Guideline, Inc. nor Guideline Holdings, LLC or Guideline RK, LLC is involved in securities activities and is not registered with the SEC or FINRA. Neither Guideline, Inc., nor any of its affiliates, is a bank.

Investment advisory services for Guideline’s 401(k) (when 3(38) fiduciary services are selected) and SEP IRA/IRA products are offered by Guideline Investments, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. For more information regarding fees and services, see Guideline Investments, LLC’s ADV 2A Brochure and Form CRS. References throughout this website to investment advisory services including but not limited to: investments offered, portfolios, managed portfolios, investment philosophy, assets under management (AUM), annual account fees expressed as a percentage of AUM, suitability questionnaire, 3(38) investment advisory management fiduciary services, robo-advisory services, and investment advice, unless otherwise specifically stated, are services provided by Guideline Investments, LLC. Investing involves risk and may lose money, including loss of principal. Investing is not guaranteed and past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. The investment options offered by Guideline Investments, LLC are not FDIC insured.

Recordkeeping services for Guideline’s 401(k) and SEP IRA/IRA products are offered by Guideline RK, LLC. 3(16) plan administration services are also offered by Guideline RK, LLC and only made available to clients who utilize an eligible payroll provider. For more information on Guideline’s pricing, see here. Guideline uses a third-party to provide custodial services. Custodial fees are paid by Guideline.

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