First Roth
Menu

For parents of working kids, ages 6–17

Their first pot of gold, earned and on the record.

Log your kids' real paid work with time- and location-stamped photos, approve and record their pay, then hand your tax preparer a W-2 worksheet and year-end records — while you watch their Roth IRA room grow.

iPhone appComing soon to the App Store
Email us

Questions? support@firstroth.com
First Roth is a record-keeping tool. Not tax, legal, or investment advice.

Sample data

How it works

Four steps across the year. You do the parenting and the paying; First Roth keeps the paperwork straight.

  1. Log the work

    Clock in, or log a finished job. Add before-and-after photos stamped with the time and place.

    Clock in with photos

  2. Approve and pay

    You approve each job, pay your child into an account in their name, and record the payment.

    You approve, you pay

  3. Year-end paperwork

    A W-2 worksheet filled in from what you approved, plus a records PDF for your tax preparer.

    W-2 worksheet + records

  4. Watch the Roth grow

    See how much your child can contribute this year, and how much is already in.

    Contribution room

Real work, written down when it happens.

A Roth IRA can only hold what your child actually earned. The strongest support for that is a plain record made at the time of the work, not a spreadsheet pieced together in April.

  • Time- and location-stamped recordsMade at the time of the work: when it started, when it ended, where it happened.
  • Photos of the jobBefore and after, taken in the app, with the time and place printed on each one.
  • Your approval and your paymentEvery job you approve, and every payment you made, with the date, amount, and method.
  • A fair rate, on paperSet an hourly or per-job rate for each kind of work, with a note on how you chose it.
Mowing & yard workSaturday, September 27, 2026
Household
Clocked in
4:12 PM PDT
Clocked out
5:42 PM PDT
Rate
$40.00 per job
Approved
Sep 27, by parent
Paid
$40.00 on Sep 28, bank transfer
One record, as it appears in the year-end records PDF. Sample data.

Household work or family business

Pick the kind of work when you set up each job. The app applies the matching rules and reminders, and keeps the two apart in your records.

Household

Work around your home

Real jobs you'd otherwise hire someone to do, paid at a fair rate. IRS Publication 926 covers household employers.

  • Mowing and yard work
  • Washing the car, cleaning the garage
  • Pet care while you travel
Family business

Work for your business or rentals

For sole proprietors, partnerships, LLCs, and landlords. Records name the business, and the W-2 worksheet uses its name and EIN.

  • Cleaning a rental between guests
  • Filing receipts and scanning documents
  • Product photos and website updates

Doesn't count

Making their own bed, cleaning their own room, homework, and other everyday family chores. Pay for those is an allowance, not wages.

Your family's records stay with you.

First Roth has no accounts and no server holding your data. We couldn't look at your records if we wanted to.

On your phone

Records and photos live on your iPhone. Save a full backup file to Files, iCloud Drive, or a computer, free.

No ads

None in the app, ever. The subscription pays for First Roth.

No tracking

No analytics, no trackers, no selling or sharing data. This website has none either.

SSN never saved

Your child's Social Security number is typed only to make the W-2 worksheet, then discarded.

Read the Privacy Policy

Start free. Upgrade for tax season.

The free version keeps every record for one child. Family Pro adds the year-end paperwork.

Free

$0

No time limit.

  • 1 child
  • Clock in, photos, approvals, and payment records
  • This year's earnings and Roth room
  • CSV export of hours and pay
  • Full backup and restore

Family Pro

$39.99 first year

Then $59.99 a year. Billed yearly through Apple.

Everything in Free, plus:

  • Unlimited children
  • W-2 worksheet, with a step-by-step guide to filing free on SSA Business Services Online
  • Year-end records PDF for your tax preparer

Planned launch prices in US dollars. The first-year price is an App Store introductory offer for eligible new subscribers. Family Pro renews automatically each year until you cancel in iPhone Settings › Apple Account › Subscriptions.

Questions parents ask

Something else? Email support@firstroth.com.

Is this tax advice?

No. First Roth is a record-keeping tool. We are not a CPA, tax preparer, law firm, or financial adviser, and nothing in the app or on this site is tax, legal, or investment advice. Rules and limits shown in the app come from published IRS and state sources for the year shown; they can change and may not fit your situation. When in doubt, ask a qualified tax professional.

Does First Roth move money or open accounts?

No. You pay your child the way you normally would, into an account in their name, and record the payment in the app. First Roth does not run payroll, withhold or pay taxes, move money, or open a bank account or Roth IRA. You open the custodial Roth with a brokerage you choose.

Does it file my child's W-2?

No. Family Pro fills in a W-2 worksheet from the work and pay you approved, and walks you through filing it yourself, free, on the Social Security Administration's Business Services Online. You review every box and you file it; you're responsible for its accuracy and the deadline.

Can my child do chores to fund a Roth?

A Roth IRA needs earned income, and that means pay for real work. Everyday family chores — making their bed, clearing their own dishes — paid as an allowance generally aren't wages. Real work you'd otherwise pay someone else to do, at a fair rate, is different.

The IRS describes household employment in Publication 926, Household Employer's Tax Guide. Whether your child's work counts in your situation is a question for your tax preparer — First Roth keeps the records either way.

Where is my family's data stored?

On your iPhone. There are no accounts and no First Roth server holding your records. Your child's Social Security number is typed only when you create a W-2 worksheet and is never saved. You can save a full backup file to Files, iCloud Drive, or a computer whenever you like.

What ages is it for?

First Roth is for parents of children about 6 to 17 who do real paid work. The parent runs the app; children don't need an account.

My child also earns money outside the family. Can I record it?

Yes. You can record outside jobs and self-employment like tutoring or pet-sitting, so the app can show the whole year's earned income next to Roth contributions. First Roth's W-2 worksheet covers only pay from you as the employer.

Pay your kids for real work. Fund their Roth.

First Roth is coming soon for iPhone. Questions before launch? Email support@firstroth.com.

iPhone appComing soon to the App Store
Email us