February 17, 2026
Let’s start with something slightly uncomfortable.
Everyone loves Roth IRAs.
Financial advisors love them.
Podcasters love them.
Instagram gurus treat them like the holy grail of retirement.
And I’m going to say the quiet part out loud.
I don’t. 😅
At least not the way most people are using them.
If you’ve ever been told, “Just do a Roth. It’s tax-free,” this might annoy you a little.
Good.
That means you’re thinking.
A Roth IRA is built on one giant assumption:
That today’s tax rules will stay exactly the same for the next 20, 30, or 40 years.
That’s not conservative planning.
That’s blind faith.
Remember when Social Security was introduced and Americans were told they would never be taxed on it?
Fast forward to today.
Up to 85% of Social Security benefits can be taxable.
Same government.
Same promise.
Different outcome.
So when someone says, “Roth withdrawals will always be tax-free,” the only reasonable response is:
According to who?
And for how long?
When you contribute to a Roth, you are paying tax at your highest marginal rate today.
Not your average rate.
Your top rate.
For many business owners, that’s 30% to 40% or more.
Put $10,000 into a Roth?
You might be giving up $3,000 to $4,500 in taxes right now.
That’s not free money.
That’s a prepaid tax bill.
And here’s the part nobody likes to say out loud:
Most entrepreneurs are in their highest earning years while they are actively building.
Later in life, income often drops.
Businesses get sold.
Expenses shift.
Cash flow changes.
Yet Roth logic assumes you’ll be in a higher tax bracket later.
Maybe.
But building your entire retirement strategy on “maybe” is not strategy.
Yes, Roth IRAs do not have required minimum distributions.
Cool.
But neither does reinvesting the tax savings from traditional contributions.
Example:
Run the math.
Many times, even after RMDs, you come out ahead.
It’s not controversial.
It’s just inconvenient.
Here’s what marketing rarely highlights.
Traditional contributions give you options.
You can:
Roth money?
You paid the tax decades ago. Decision locked in.
If tax rules change, your flexibility is limited.
And history tells us tax rules do change.
No.
They are just overused, oversold, and misunderstood.
Roths can make sense when:
They should be a calculated decision.
Not the default recommendation.
“Just do Roth, it’s tax-free” is not strategy.
It’s marketing.
At Campground Accounting, we believe there’s more to taxes than being on time.
And there’s more to life than business.
Donna’s passion is a progressive perspective of accounting. That means we plan with:
Our hierarchy is simple:
We explore options.
We stress test scenarios.
We press play on bigger ideas 🎬
Because whether you own a campground or another family business, your retirement strategy should support your life, not gamble on assumptions.
What happens if we move to a flat tax?
Or a consumption-based tax?
Are Roth promises still sacred?
Maybe.
Maybe not.
The real danger is not choosing a Roth.
The danger is choosing it without understanding the trade-offs.
If you still love Roth IRAs, that’s fine.
Just make sure you chose them.
Not because someone sold them to you in a 30-second clip with the words “tax-free forever.” 💥
If this made you uncomfortable?
Good.
That’s where real strategy begins.
Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Please make sure to check out our blog and our website link below. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell to be notified when we post. You can email me at donna@campgroundaccounting.com.
Donna Bordeaux, CPA with Campground Accounting
Creativity and CPAs don’t generally go together. Most people think of CPAs as nerdy accountants who can’t talk with people. Well, it’s time to break that stereotype. Lively, friendly, and knowledgeable can be a part of your relationship with your CPA, as demonstrated by Donna and Chad Bordeaux. They have over 50 years of combined experience as entrepreneurial CPAs. They’ve owned businesses and helped business owners exceed their wildest dreams. They have been able to help businesses earn many times more profit than the average business in the same industry and are passionate about helping industries that help families build great memories.