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Should young people focus on building retirement savings or on increasing their earning power while they’re still young? That question was at the center of a debate after entrepreneur and athletic-wear brand Haus<\/strong> co-founder Lukas Pakter<\/strong> argued that Roth IRAs are the wrong priority for ambitious young adults. <\/p>\n In the TikTok clip<\/a>, he said that “Roth IRAs are for poor people,” adding that they’re better suited for individuals seeking a traditional, long-term retirement strategy. <\/p>\n His argument wasn’t that Roth IRAs don’t work<\/a>. Instead, he said that ambitious young people should focus on increasing their income today instead of setting aside money they won’t touch until retirement. <\/p>\n Don’t Miss:<\/strong> <\/p>\n Why He Thinks Young People Should Focus On Earning More <\/p>\n “I don’t want $1.2 million tax-free when I’m 65,” Pakter said in the video. “I want money now.” <\/p>\n He described Roth IRAs as a vehicle designed for people who want a safe, low-effort way to invest, and according to him, young adults can generate much larger returns by investing in education, skills, business opportunities, and personal development. <\/p>\n “What the f*** is the point of getting $1.2 million tax-free<\/a> when you’re about to die?” he asked. “By the time you’re 65, according to the average lifespan in the U.S., you have about 12 or 13 years to spend that.” <\/p>\n Pakter added that someone earning $40,000 a year might be better off spending money on learning new skills<\/a> or building a business instead of contributing thousands of dollars to a retirement account. He also questioned whether accumulating wealth late in life is as valuable as increasing income and financial freedom while young. <\/p>\n “If you want to make money while you’re young, you need to invest in your education and becoming better,” he said. “Yes, you have to put in a little bit of work, but it’s not supposed to be easy to make money when you’re young.” <\/p>\n Not everyone agreed. <\/p>\n Trending: Earn While You Scroll: <\/strong>The Deloitte-Ranked #1 Software Company Growing 32,481% Is Opening Its $0.52\/Share Round to Investors<\/strong><\/a> <\/p>\n Rich In Retirement Or Bagging Groceries? <\/p>\n Primerica (NYSE:<\/a>PRI<\/a>) Senior Regional Leader Anthony Georgescu<\/strong> responded with a video<\/a> of his own. He argued that Pakter’s advice may not reflect the reality facing most Americans. <\/p>\n “For 90% of people making under $300,000 a year in the U.S.,” Georgescu said, retirement savings still matter.\u00a0 <\/p>\n He pointed to the fact that many Americans are already behind on retirement planning and added that the average 401(k) balance at age 65 is around $200,000. <\/p>\n Using a hypothetical example, Georgescu said someone who contributes the Roth IRA maximum each year and earns a 9% annual return over 35 years could accumulate roughly $2 million tax-free. <\/p>\n “I don’t know about you guys, but I think I’d rather be $2 million richer in retirement than broke and bagging groceries,” he said. <\/p>\n The debate highlights a larger question that many younger workers face: Should extra money go toward retirement savings or toward increasing earning potential? <\/p>\n See Also: The Wealthy Have Long Used Private Real Estate To Diversify Beyond Stocks. <\/strong>Here’s One Platform Opening That Door.<\/strong><\/a> <\/p>\n For people, spending money on education, job training, or starting a business could pay off more than investing in the stock market. For others, consistently saving money in retirement accounts that come with tax breaks can help them build a solid financial cushion for the future. <\/p>\n Pakter argued that young people should focus on increasing their earning potential instead of relying solely on traditional retirement accounts. Many of today’s biggest fortunes were built by investing early in emerging technologies, long before they became part of everyday life.\u00a0 <\/p>\n Miso Robotics<\/strong><\/a> is one company aiming to capitalize on that trend, bringing AI-powered robots to the $1 trillion fast-food industry. Yesterday’s automated order-taking kiosks have given way to today’s robots, like Miso’s AI-powered restaurant kitchen robot Flippy Fry Station.\u00a0 <\/p>\n Flippy actively works with humans to prepare food in live kitchens. It’s optimized for the modern restaurant, fitting in most existing kitchens and backed by almost 30 patent filings. Join more than 40,000 people<\/a> investing in Miso Robotics. <\/p>\n Read Next: Looking For An Alternative To A High-Yield Savings Account? <\/strong>See How Some Accredited Investors Are Using Short-Term Real Estate Notes.<\/strong><\/a> <\/p>\n Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market<\/strong> <\/p>\n Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry. <\/p>\n Arrived<\/strong> <\/p>\n Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can <\/a>buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100<\/strong><\/a>. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly. <\/p>\n Realberry<\/strong> <\/p>\n Institutional-quality real estate has traditionally been difficult for individual investors to access. <\/a>Realberry gives accredited investors direct access to private real estate opportunities<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>backed by a team with 35 years of experience, $3.4 billion in assets under management, and $481 million in cumulative distributions paid to investors as of Q4 2025, according to the company. With a portfolio spanning 13 million square feet across seven U.S. states, Realberry focuses on acquiring, developing, and managing real estate with an emphasis on long-term value creation while its principals often invest alongside clients to help align interests. <\/p>\n FarmTogether<\/strong> <\/p>\n Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, <\/a>FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 fully managed, with no landlord headaches. <\/p>\n Immersed<\/strong> <\/p>\n Immersed is building technology for the future of work through spatial computing.<\/strong><\/a> Known for its AR\/VR productivity platform that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens, the company has grown to more than 1.5 million users worldwide. Immersed is also developing Visor, a lightweight headset designed specifically for professional productivity, positioning the company at the intersection of remote work, extended reality (XR), and next-generation computing. <\/p>\n Fundrise<\/strong> <\/p>\n Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. <\/a>Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth. <\/p>\n Mode Mobile<\/strong> <\/p>\n Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day.<\/strong><\/a> Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte’s fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream.\u00a0 <\/p>\n EquityMultiple<\/strong>\u00a0 <\/p>\n For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000<\/strong><\/a>,<\/a> with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process. <\/p>\n Image: Shutterstock<\/strong> <\/p>\n This article ‘Roth IRAs Are For Poor People,’ Says An Entrepreneur. ‘I Don’t Want $1.2 Million Tax-Free When I’m 65. I Want Money Now’<\/a> originally appeared on Benzinga.com<\/a> <\/p>\n \u00a9 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. <\/p>\n