Sorry if this is a simplistic question, but the best I have been able to find are general references. My husband and I are both planning on opening a roth in addition to our 401k. Can we open one account and both contribute, or do we need to open separate accounts?

You each have to open separate accounts. Hope this helps. Good luck!

The I in IRA stands for "individual". No comingling of accounts.

Don't forget to think about the designation of benefitiaries. Each account has their own. You might want to list the spouse as primary and kids as secondary. Under some circumstances, the surviving spouse might want decline the inheritance... and the assets would then pass to the kids.