Congress has done plenty of dumb things through the years. And that's true regardless of which party was in control. But one of the smartest things passed by legislators was the Individual Retirement Account (IRA). These accounts allow you invest and grow the money tax free with a traditional IRA, or invest with after-tax money but never have to pay taxes on the gains with a Roth IRA. Either option can be fantastic for building your retirement nest egg.
Based on historical returns, it makes sense to put a significant portion of your IRA into stocks. Some investors like to buy growth stocks, which can generate tremendous gains over time. Some prefer income stocks, which pay juicy dividends. And others would rather go with value stocks, which are inexpensive now but should appreciate over the long run.
But which stocks in each of these investing styles are smart picks? Here's why I think Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX), Iron Mountain (NYSE: IRM), and IBM (NYSE: IBM) are three great stocks for your IRA.
Source: Fool.com