The Roth IRA began in 1998 as a way to encourage middle-class Americans to save for retirement without reducing revenue (i.e.taxes) to the federal government in the short term. Although Roth IRAs have income limits aimed at excluding higher-income people, major loopholes still allow just about anyone to stash cash now that they can withdraw tax-free in retirement. One of those loopholes is known as the “backdoor” Roth IRA contribution. Here are four signs that a backdoor Roth might be for you.

At The Financial Gym, we are often asked by current and future parents how to best save for their child’s future and education. A common vehicle for this is the 529 account, but you may have also heard of an UTMA. Let’s dive into both.

First things first: there are 51 separate 529 plans—one for each state plus the District of Columbia. 529s are also known as Qualified Tuition Programs (QTP). Each 529 has slightly different features or rules as it relates to their respective states, but their purpose is the same.

There are a few critical choices we make about our retirement accounts including how much to contribute and what to invest in. Due to the rise in popularity of Roth 401ks, you might have one other important decision: should you contribute pre-tax money to your traditional 401k, post-tax money to your Roth 401(k), or have a mix of both?

Spoiler alert: everyone’s situation is different and there may not be a clear best choice. To decide, you’ll need to make some educated guesses about your answers to the following questions.