Make over $144,000 a year?
You are blocked from a Roth IRA.
But not really.
Enter the backdoor Roth.
Perfectly legal.
Still open.
Still effective.

Step one
Open a traditional IRA
Make a nondeductible contribution

Step two
Convert it to a Roth IRA
No income limits on conversions

Step three
Let it grow tax free for life

One catch
Do not invest before converting
Or you trigger tax on gains

Report it properly
Use IRS Form 8606
No shortcuts

And here is the twist
If you already have money in a 401k
A full Roth conversion might be better
Faster
Bigger
Cleaner

Know the rules
Then play like the rich do