So I’ve set a goal to contribute the maximum amount possible to Roth IRA’s for both my wife and I, totaling $10,000 a year.

Well, I’m happy to say that I’ve completed half of that goal, and my Wife’s Roth IRA is maxed out for 2009, and I only have another $1,500 to go for my own account.

For the most part, the money has been sitting in the account waiting for action, and with this tumultuous market it’s tough to say where it should be put to work.  The first few trading days of October have me a bit miffed, and I’m wondering if the downward slide in the market will continue.

The next few days will be very telling.

Finance, Investing, Retirement, Saving Retirement, Roth IRA

Last week I made my final contribution to my Roth IRA for 2008. So we’ve contributed all we can to both my wife and I’s personal retirement accounts.  This is on top of our individual company sponsored retirement plans.

I’m happy to say that we’ve managed to fulfill this goal about 6 months early this year, which gives us time to start saving for next years $10,000+ contribution limits.

(Starting in 2009, the Roth IRA contribution limits will be indexed to inflation.)

So now I have to figure out where to stash the money for the next six months.  I’m leaning towards the Emigrant Direct account, since they increased the APY to 3%.

Finance, Goals, Retirement, Saving Emigrant Direct, Roth IRA

It took us a while, but both Roth IRA’s are fully funded for 2006.  Unfortunately, we had to pull cash from our car savings fund, which hurts, but it had to be done.

We can make the old Honda run a few thousand more miles and get an extra couple months out of the old girl, but we must get the retirement account funded to the maximum allowable value.

Once the cash is in the accounts, I’ll have to figure out what to do with it.  Gold is attractive right now, and having some cash in reserve to buy some more Ford on the dips may be prudent.  Maybe buy some more PVX for the dividends?

Speaking of Gold, I got word that the StreetTracks Gold Trust (GLD) will now begin trading at 8:20 a.m.ET (instead of 9:30 a.m. ET) starting Friday, February 9, 2007.  Why it is starting to trade earlier, I have no idea.

Investing, Retirement