The 3 Tax Buckets Every Investor Should Know

Most people spend a lot of time deciding what to invest in. Very few spend enough time thinking about where those investments should live. In this episode of the Working Wealth Podcast, Patrick Rogers and Trevor Rasmussen break down the three major tax buckets that make up most financial plans: pretax accounts, Roth accounts, and taxable brokerage accounts. They explain how each bucket works, the tradeoffs of each approach, and why understanding tax treatment may be just as important as choosing the right investments. The conversation covers traditional 401(k)s, IRAs, Roth accounts, tax-deferred growth, tax-free growth, Roth conversions, retirement income planning, inheritance considerations, and the role taxable accounts can play in creating flexibility.