Last updated ·Published ·By the WiserWork team
IRA Contribution Limit Tool
What you can contribute — and deduct — this year, with the income phaseouts applied
| 2026 thresholds | Single/HoH | Married Joint |
|---|
IRA rules are three simple numbers wrapped in five layers of phaseouts: how much you may contribute ($7,500, +$1,100 at 50+), whether Roth contributions are allowed (income phaseouts), and whether Traditional contributions are deductible (different phaseouts, only if you have a workplace plan). This tool applies all of it to your filing status and income, and tells you the strategy — full Roth, partial, backdoor, or deductible Traditional — in one verdict.
The 2026 Numbers
| Single / HoH | Married filing jointly | |
|---|---|---|
| Contribution limit | $7,500 (+$1,100 catch-up at 50+) | |
| Roth contribution phaseout (MAGI) | $153,000–$168,000 | $242,000–$252,000 |
| Traditional deduction phaseout (covered by work plan) | $81,000–$91,000 | $129,000–$149,000 |
| Spouse-not-covered deduction phaseout | — | $242,000–$252,000 |
Key distinctions people mix up: anyone with earned income can contribute to a Traditional IRA at any income — only the deduction phases out, and only if a workplace plan covers you. The Roth phaseout, by contrast, limits the contribution itself — which is exactly the wall the backdoor walks around.
The Backdoor Roth, In Four Steps
- Contribute up to the limit to a Traditional IRA as non-deductible (no income limit on this).
- Convert to Roth promptly (conversions have no income limit either — that's the loophole, blessed by Congress in committee notes).
- File Form 8606 recording the non-deductible basis.
- Mind the pro-rata rule: if you hold other pre-tax IRA balances (old rollovers, SEP), conversions are taxed proportionally across ALL your IRA money — the classic fix is rolling pre-tax IRA balances into your current 401(k) first, leaving only basis to convert.
Other Rules Worth Their Space
- Spousal IRA: a non-working spouse can contribute the full limit based on the working spouse's income — commonly missed free shelter.
- Deadline: contributions for a tax year are allowed until the April filing deadline — a January-to-April window where you can fill last year's limit first.
- Earned income requirement: contributions can't exceed your (or your spouse's) earned income for the year — relevant to students, retirees with side gigs, and kids with W-2s (yes, custodial Roth IRAs for teenagers are legal and spectacular).
- IRA vs 401(k): these limits are separate from and additional to the $24,500 401(k) limit — max both if you can.
How to Use the Tool
- Set filing status, MAGI (AGI plus a few add-backs — AGI is close enough for most), age and workplace-plan coverage.
- Read the three cards: Roth room, Traditional room, deductible amount.
- Follow the verdict note — it names your strategy, including the backdoor when the front door closes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as MAGI for these limits?
AGI with a few items added back (IRA deductions, student-loan-interest deduction, foreign income exclusion). For most people MAGI ≈ AGI ≈ the bottom line of page 1 of the 1040 — close enough to plan with, and the calculator treats small differences gracefully via the phaseout band.
I contributed to a Roth, then my income crossed the limit — now what?
Fix it before the filing deadline: recharacterize the contribution to Traditional (then optionally convert = accidental backdoor), or withdraw the contribution plus earnings. Left unfixed, a 6% excise tax applies per year.
Is a non-deductible Traditional contribution ever worth keeping?
As a destination, rarely — growth is taxed at ordinary rates on withdrawal. As step one of a backdoor Roth, absolutely. If you can't convert (pro-rata trouble), a taxable brokerage with index funds often beats non-deductible IRA money.
Do 401(k) contributions reduce my IRA limit?
No — separate limits, fully stackable. The 401(k) affects only whether your Traditional IRA contribution is deductible (the 'covered by a workplace plan' phaseout).
Can my teenager have an IRA?
With real earned income (W-2 or documented self-employment), yes — a custodial Roth on a 16-year-old's summer-job income is arguably the most powerful account in finance: 50 years of tax-free compounding.
What about SEP and SIMPLE IRAs?
Different animals with their own (much higher) employer-based limits for self-employed people — a SEP allows up to 25% of compensation to $72,000. If you have side-gig income, look there before the plain IRA.
Is my information private?
Yes — income and status never leave your browser.
Check your phaseout position once a year (or after any raise), fill the account the verdict names, and remember the April deadline gives you a second chance at last year's limit. Few forms of paperwork compound at 7% for decades.