Unlike traditional 401(k)s and I.R.A.s, Roth I.R.A.s and Roth savings options within workplace plans are funded with after-tax dollars — in other words, you pay the income tax bill upfront. Like a traditional 401(k) or I.R.A., your investments grow tax-free. Unlike tax-deferred accounts, Roth withdrawals are generally tax-free too, if used as intended in retirement or by your heirs.
Roths also offer a way to hedge your bets against possible higher tax rates in the future, said Ed Slott, a tax expert and Roth guru.
“Most older people are heavily overweighted in tax-deferred accounts — they have no tax risk diversification,” Mr. Slott said. “These are sophisticated investors who would never put all their eggs in one basket, because that’s a basic rule of investing — yet all their eggs are in one tax basket, so they’re at the mercy of a possible future higher tax bill.”
is a strategic coral island in the northern Persian Gulf that serves as the "economic backbone" of Iran, handling roughly 90% of the country's crude oil exports.
On March 13, 2026, the island became a central flashpoint in the U.S.–Iran conflict when U.S. forces conducted a large-scale precision strike that "obliterated" approximately 90 military targets on the island.
Current Strategic Status (March 2026)
Military Strike: President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. targeted military installations, including naval mine and missile storage bunkers, to stop Iranian interference with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil Infrastructure: The island's critical oil export facilities were intentionally spared during the strike "for reasons of decency". However, the U.S. warned it would reconsider this decision if Iran continues to block international shipping lanes.
Ongoing Operations: Despite the military strikes, oil operations have continued, with tankers observed loading crude shortly after the attack.
Key Infrastructure & Capacity
Kharg Island is indispensable because much of Iran’s mainland coastline is too shallow for massive supertankers.
Export Volume: Historically handles 1.5 to 1.6 million barrels per day (bpd).
Loading Capacity: Features long jetties and deep-water berths capable of loading up to 10 supertankers simultaneously. Its maximum theoretical capacity is reported as 7 million bpd.
Storage: The island has storage tanks capable of holding approximately 30 million barrels of crude oil.
Geography & Administration
Location: Situated roughly 15 miles (24 km) off the coast of Iran and 34 miles (55 km) northwest of Bushehr.
Dimensions: Approximately 8 km (5 miles) long and 4–5 km (3 miles) wide.
Restrictions: Often called the "Forbidden Island," it is heavily fortified and administered by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Access is strictly limited to oil workers and military personnel, though a restrictive special tourist permit was introduced in 2026.
Resources: It is one of the few islands in the Persian Gulf with its own natural freshwater supply, which supports a local population of over 8,000 people and a population of wild gazelles.
Historical Significance
Archaeology: Home to a 2,400-year-old Achaemenid cuneiform inscription (discovered in 2007) that is central to the Persian Gulf naming dispute. It also contains ruins of a 7th-century Christian monastery and various rock-cut tombs.
Colonial History: Controlled by the Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch East India Company in the 18th century, who built Fort Mosselstein.
Iran-Iraq War: During the 1980s, the island was repeatedly bombed by Iraq in an attempt to cripple Iran's economy, leading to extensive damage that was later rebuilt.
Markets in Asia and Europe tumbled on Monday, and U.S. futures were down, as a spike in oil prices reflected global fears of a prolonged U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. Meanwhile, Iran projected defiance by naming a son of its slain supreme leader as his successor. Oil prices briefly surged early Monday to almost $120 per barrel, their highest level since the Covid pandemic, as President Trump’s plans for the next steps in the war, let alone its endgame, remained unclear, and Iran showed no sign of bowing to his demand for unconditional surrender.
An account trading under the username "Magamyman" made more than $553,000 placing bets on the prediction market Polymarket that Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would be out of power just before an Israeli strike killed him on Saturday. Bet on Anything, Everywhere, All at Once Up First from NPR Bet on Anything, Everywhere, All at Once
The trades drew scrutiny from members of Congress and critics of prediction markets, who say the platforms invite people with access to classified information to profit on lethal military operations. On Polymarket alone, half-a-billion dollars was traded over when exactly U.S. forces would drop bombs on Iran.
