Can I withdraw money from my Roth IRA without penalty?

You can withdraw your Roth IRA contributions tax- and penalty-free at any age. You may withdraw conversions penalty-free after five years. The five-year clock begins on Jan. 1 of the year you did the conversion. To withdraw earnings penalty-free, you must wait until you're 59 1/2 or you qualify for an exception, like a large medical expense or a first home purchase.

Do I have to wait five years to withdraw from my Roth IRA conversion?

The IRS has a five-year rule that limits when you can access your Roth IRA conversions penalty-free, but you don't always have to wait a full five years. The countdown clock begins on Jan. 1 of the year you do the conversion. If you wait until Dec. 31 to do your Roth IRA conversion, you only have to wait about four years to tap those funds.

How much will I be taxed if I pull money out of my Roth IRA?

That depends on several factors, including your age and whether you're taking out Roth IRA contributions, conversions, or earnings. You pay taxes on contributions in the year you make them and on conversions in the year of the conversion, so you shouldn't owe taxes on them again. You could owe taxes if you withdraw Roth IRA earnings before 59 1/2.

Are Roth IRA withdrawals considered income?

Roth IRA withdrawals typically do not affect your taxable income for the year. This is because you already paid taxes on your Roth IRA contributions in the year you made them, so you're allowed to take withdrawals tax-free in retirement.

Roth IRA Withdrawals: When, How, and Why

What to know before taking money out of your Roth IRA.

By Kailey Hagen – Updated Jan 30, 2026 at 11:11 AM EST | Fact-checked by Margo Winton Parodi

Key Points

Withdraw Roth IRA contributions any time without taxes or penalties.
You can withdraw converted Roth funds penalty-free after five years.
Earnings are penalty-free if withdrawn after age 59 1/2 and five years of holding.

You're free to withdraw money from any of your retirement accounts at any time, but the federal government may swoop in demanding taxes and penalties if you don't heed all of its rules.

Restrictions on Roth IRAs aren't as stringent as those on tax-deferred retirement withdrawals, but there are still some rules you need to be aware of before withdrawing funds. Here's a closer look at how Roth IRA distributions work.

Loading paragraph...

Which Roth IRA account is right for you?

Browse top Roth IRA accounts

Loading callout...

Withdrawing Roth IRA contributions

You can withdraw Roth IRA contributions tax- and penalty-free at any time because you already paid taxes on those funds in the year you contributed them. There are no age restrictions and no limits on how much of your Roth IRA contributions you can withdraw at a time.

Whenever you take a Roth IRA distribution, your contributions always come out first, followed by your Roth IRA conversions, if any, in order from the oldest to the most recent. Earnings come out last.

Loading paragraph...

Withdrawing Roth IRA conversions

A Roth IRA conversion is when you pay taxes on tax-deferred savings to reclassify them as Roth savings. But the IRS doesn't treat these funds exactly the same as contributions you make directly to a Roth IRA. Conversions are subject to a five-year rule.

This rule enables you to withdraw your converted funds penalty- and tax-free once the money has been in your account for at least five years. The five-year countdown begins on Jan. 1 of the year you do the conversion. So if you convert $5,000 from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA on Sept. 1, 2026, your countdown begins Jan. 1, 2026. You will pay a 10% early withdrawal penalty if you take the money out before Jan. 1, 2031, unless you qualify for one of the exceptions below.

If you do multiple Roth IRA conversions, each one has its own five-year rule. You must be mindful of how long each conversion has been in your account before you withdraw the funds to avoid accidentally incurring penalties.

Loading paragraph...

Envelope labeled Roth IRA filled with cash. — Image source: Getty Images.

Loading image...

Withdrawing Roth IRA earnings

You need to meet two criteria if you want to withdraw Roth IRA earnings penalty- and tax-free:

You must be at least 59 1/2 years old.
You must have had your Roth IRA for at least five years before making the withdrawal.

If you have multiple Roth IRAs, the clock starts on the date you open your first Roth IRA. Once you've hit five years, this requirement is automatically fulfilled for all your Roth IRAs, even if you haven't had the one you're withdrawing from for five years.

You could face taxes, penalties, or both if you fail to meet these requirements. Those 59 1/2 or older who have not had their Roth IRAs for at least five years before withdrawing earnings will owe taxes on their earnings, but will not pay the 10% early withdrawal penalty.

Those younger than 59 1/2 who have not had their Roth IRAs for five years will pay taxes and a 10% early withdrawal penalty on earnings, although they may be able to waive the penalty if they meet one of the qualified exceptions discussed below.

Those younger than 59 1/2 who have had their Roth IRA for five years or more could also face taxes and an early withdrawal penalty. However, the government waives both for those who are permanently disabled or who use their withdrawal to make a first home purchase (maximum $10,000). If you don't meet one of these criteria, you can still waive the penalty if you meet one of the exceptions below.

Exceptions to the early withdrawal penalty

You can avoid the 10% early withdrawal penalty on Roth IRA earnings and conversion withdrawals if you meet one of the following exceptions:

You're 59 1/2 or older
You're totally and permanently disabled
You have been certified as having a terminal illness
You are the beneficiary of a deceased IRA owner
You're purchasing a first home (maximum $10,000 withdrawal)
You're taking substantially equal periodic payments (SEPPs)
You're paying for unreimbursed medical expenses exceeding a certain percentage of your adjusted gross income (AGI)
You're paying for your medical insurance premiums during a period of unemployment
You're paying for higher education expenses

Loading paragraph...

What Is a Roth IRA? How to Get Started

Want to get tax-free distributions in retirement? A Roth IRA may be right for you.

What is an IRA and How Does it Work?

Under the umbrella of individual retirement accounts, there are many options.

401k to Roth IRA Conversion

Looking to turn your 401(k) into a Roth IRA? Here's how and why it's a good idea.

Roth IRA 5-Year Rule

All investors should be aware of these three five-year rules.

Loading hub_pages...

Loading paragraph...

Roth IRA withdrawal frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Loading faq...

About the Author

Kailey Hagen, CFP®, is a contributing Motley Fool retirement analyst covering Social Security, Medicare, and retirement planning. Before The Motley Fool, Kailey was a research analyst for Reviews.com focusing on credit and banking products. She is a Certified Financial Planner® and holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

TMFKailey

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.