Roth IRA Question

fund as much as you can for 2013. and then set up for auto withdraw on a monthly or bi-monthly base.

So contribute to the back year even if your taxes are done for 2013? Does this effect anything?

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So contribute to the back year even if your taxes are done for 2013? Does this effect anything?

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Yes, contribute to the back year even if your taxes are done.

ROTH contributions are from money that has already been taxed, so it wouldn't affect your taxes since you've already paid them on that money.

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Don't do the target date fund

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So which one should I do?

First thing you need to do is go ahead and just fund the account. The money will go into a money market account for 2013 so at least you got your contribution in.

From there you can research a bit more before you make a decision, but "waiting" or "timing" the market when you obviously know very little isn't going to do one iota of good for you.

You should just find the best investment vehicle for you, and then put money into it monthly or whatever reasonably even schedule you desire.

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With my experience target date funds get too conservative too quickly in general.

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The way around this is to pick a Retirement Fund whose date is 10 or so years later than the actual date you're aiming for.

Vanguard's Target funds IIRC, are just made up of underlying index funds they offer anyways, so its not like you're missing out on much. There could be some expense ratio costs or portfolio balance issues that individual investors may have a problem with but I haven't looked into them enough to discuss it.

Note: I do index ETFs in percentages that I like, so I have no comment on TR funds one way or the other.

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The way around this is to pick a Retirement Fund whose date is 10 or so years later than the actual date you're aiming for

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This.