“Roth and pre-tax accounts behave differently when it comes to required minimum distributions (RMDs). A key conceptual difference to know at the beginner level is that Roth IRAs — the individual retirement account that uses after-tax contributions — are generally not subject to RMDs during the original owner’s lifetime. That means the account owner can let qualified Roth IRA assets continue to grow tax-free without being forced to take minimum withdrawals each year. Note this is a general principle for Roth IRAs; Roth 401(k) accounts offered by employers can have different rules unless rolled into a Roth IRA. The practical implication: if avoiding mandatory distributions during your lifetime is an objective, Roth IRAs offer that feature in many common scenarios, which is why some savers use rollovers strategically (keeping legal nuance in mind and checking plan rules).”