No, IRA’s avoid a tax which the other investments don’t, so money in an IRA is worth more than money outside. There is a cost, namely you have restricted access to it.
It’s worth pointing out that the money you put in there can still be held in a money-market account or similar, and that it acts as an emergency fund because you can withdraw it or take loans against it, subject to modest penalties.
Surely 7. should come before 6., and probably 4. and 5. as well.
No, IRA’s avoid a tax which the other investments don’t, so money in an IRA is worth more than money outside. There is a cost, namely you have restricted access to it.
It’s worth pointing out that the money you put in there can still be held in a money-market account or similar, and that it acts as an emergency fund because you can withdraw it or take loans against it, subject to modest penalties.