You put money into a Roth IRA directly

You put money into a Roth IRA directly from your checking or savings account, just like writing a check or doing a bank transfer. When the money is in that account, you decide how it is to be invested, as most Roth IRAs give you a wide variety of investment options. Most of the time, the money in a Roth IRA is put into an investment that will have nice long-term returns, like stocks. Any returns earned on your money while in a Roth IRA stays in that account until you choose to withdraw it.