Why I think a Roth IRA Is Often the Best Retirement Account for Teachers Happy New Year! This post is part of the Path Series , where I try to help early- and mid-career educators  chart a path toward financial stability and freedom .  I think there are many paths to financial stability and freedom for educators. As I've brainstormed the paths I want to highlight with this project, I’ve tried to keep in mind a few guiding goals: paths that are accessible to most educators in Wisconsin, avoid complicated financial structures or behaviors, and allow flexibility as life circumstances change. With these goals in mind, I think there are three financial tools that will suffice for most folks: a pension, the Roth IRA, and the 457(b) supplemental retirement. Although there are certainly other financial tools one might pick, I think understanding how these three tools work together can put many teachers in a position to retire at 55—or potentially even earlier. I have already discussed...