Roth IRA not just for ultra-wealthy Chris Davis NerdWallet FacebookTwitterEmail Entrepreneur Peter Thiel holds his PayPal shares in a Roth IRA, which could allow him to avoid taxes on the investment’s growth over the long-term. While the ultrawealthy like Thiel certainly have access to vehicles and tax strategies most of us don’t, a Roth IRA is actually designed to help the typical American household avoid or minimize taxes, too — not just the ultra-wealthy.J. Scott Applewhite | AP The trove of IRS records recently uncovered by ProPublica has confirmed what many have always suspected: Billionaires often enjoy a substantially lower tax rate than the average American.