When can you start withdrawing a Roth IRA?

Withdrawal from a Roth IRA occurs at anytime. However, to avoid penalties for early withdrawals the participant must obtain the age of 59.5 years and own the account for at least five years, explains CNN Money.

There are a few reasons that allows for an early withdrawal without penalty. College expenses for the person's spouse, children or self qualify as one of the reasons. A first-time home purchase qualifies. The costs of an unexpected disability allows the owners of Roth accounts to withdrawal money without penalty as do medical bills that exceed 7.5 percent of their yearly income, says CNN Money.