<prompt> Human: HiI opened a Roth IRA around this time last year and stuck 4K in it. I just checked it, and its sitting at 4,450.00 now. Is this considered a decent gain for a year?? Im not sure how the money is allocated, as I selected a target date fund for like 2050. My question is how much should a Roth IRA earn in a year?  <response>: Sometimes the market goes up. Sometimes the market goes down. If youd asked in 2008, your fund wouldve dropped around 1500 in value. The point is not to check it day to day, but just to let it sit for years until you retire.A 2050 target date fund is a good choice. So dont worry. Just sit back and relax. 