There are a lot of great reasons to invest in an IRA. A lot of the reasons people choose this option are actually very personal, for instance they strongly feel they want to do something independently and have control, while others choose this because of circumstance, for instance, they are unemployed. A third reason for choosing these retirement accounts are that they’re a very practical financial decision, and the three reasons below outline why independent retirement accounts are such a reasonable choice.

— IRAs give you a lot more control over your investments. Whereas with a 401k your employer controls a lot of your decisions, with an independent account you make all the decisions on your own. You choose a company to handle your account, you choose what type of account you want, and you choose where your funds will be invested. Some people shy away from this control, while others thrive on it.

— There are two main types of independent retirement accounts, which gives you a choice of tax options. A traditional IRA is a lot like a traditional 401k–your contributions are taken from your income before taxes are taken out. When you reach retirement age and make withdrawals you’ll then pay taxes on this income. A Roth independent retirement account takes your contributions from your income after taxes. When you make withdrawals in retirement you don’t have to pay taxes.

— When done with a 401k an IRA can be a great way to diversify. This is particularly true if you have a Roth IRA, as it diversifies your tax obligations in retirement.

As mentioned at the beginning, there are a lot of great reasons to look into independent retirement accounts to fulfill your personal needs and circumstances, and three great practical reasons for everyone to consider this an option for their retirement savings plans. For more control, for more tax options, or to diversify your taxes consider investing in an IRA.