<prompt> Human: Im going to be in a PhD program for at least five years, and Im curious about what I should do as far as saving for retirement at this stage. I have no debt from college, own my car outright, and am making a stipend for living expenses I dont have to pay tuition. I wont be looking to buy a house for quite some time, as Ill need to move around a bit in an academic career until I find a permanent position, or if I join the Public Health Service I can always live on base. Is a Roth IRA a good idea at this stage? Id like to keep my emergency fund in cash or are I-bonds fairly liquid?, but Id like to put some long-term money away now instead of waiting until Im 27-28 to start saving for retirement.Thoughts on opening a Roth IRA since I wont have access to a 401k or 403b as a grad student? Also, feasibility of I-bonds as a short-term liquid investment?  <response>: Roth IRAs are great. Im a grad student myself, and its great to have one because your taxable income is so low already. Is the stipend for a TA or RA? If so youre fine contributing to the Roth. As to the I bonds, Id avoid keeping emergency money in them. The most important things in emergency money is availability and impossibility of losses, and you dont always get the former with I bonds. You lose a bit of interest keeping EF in cash checking or savings account, dont keep it in physical currency, yes, but thats because an emergency fund is insurance, and some of the cheapest and most useful insurance you can have. 