The term I.R.A. stands for Individual Retirement Account, and the four-letter solution to the crossword is ROTH. A ROTH IRA is a type of retirement account that allows individuals to save money for retirement on a tax-advantaged basis. Contributions to a ROTH IRA are made with after-tax dollars, meaning that the contributions are not tax-deductible. However, any earnings on the investments within the account are not subject to taxes when withdrawn in retirement.