[TinyFish]

Actually, I believe in some ways the ROTH is more flexible. You can withdraw the principle at any time without penalties last time I checked. Now, that isn't to say that is a really good idea, you can't put it back, so you'd be losing 'time'. But, in the case of a major emergency (beyond your emergency fund), like an illness or a devastating disaster, you could still crack that piggy bank, so to speak.

In fact, I remember reading a very good article by a finanicial planner who keeps some of his emergency fund in a MM account and some in the Roth. That way he has some money readily available for things like the furnace stopping working, or unexpected dental bills, and the other money is available for serious emergencies, like long-term job loss, or if his wife were to be ill. I think he had the 'emergency' money in the Roth fairly conservatively invested. He pointed out that this is not ideal, but with the world of money there is the ideal to strive for and then there is reality. This way he had emergencies covered AND he had a bit more retirement savings if those emergencies never came.

Oh, and young people who have money to put towards their retirement are not 'broke'. Don't sell yourself short!

-TinyFish