IRA Contribution Limits 2025–2026: Roth & Traditional
Annual IRA contribution limits, catch-up contributions after 50, Roth income phase-outs, and when traditional contributions are deductible.
The IRA contribution limit is $7,000 per year, or $8,000 if you are 50 or older, and that total is shared across all your traditional and Roth IRAs combined.
What you'll walk away with
Skim these first — then dig into the details below.
- 1The 2025 limit is $7,000, rising to $8,000 at age 50 and above.
- 2The limit is shared across all IRAs, not applied per account.
- 3Roth eligibility phases out at higher incomes; the backdoor Roth is the standard workaround.
- 4You have until the April tax deadline to make a prior-year contribution.
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An IRA is the account most people open second, after capturing their employer 401(k) match. It offers far more investment choice than a workplace plan and, in Roth form, one of the best tax deals available.
The limits are modest, so missing a year is a permanent loss — contribution room does not accumulate.
The limits and who they apply to
The headline number is simple, but three details trip people up: the shared limit, the earned income requirement, and spousal contributions.
- Base limit: $7,000 for 2025, with a $1,000 catch-up at age 50 or older for $8,000 total.
- The limit covers traditional and Roth IRAs combined — $4,000 in one leaves $3,000 for the other.
- You must have earned income at least equal to your contribution; investment income does not count.
- A spousal IRA lets a non-working spouse contribute based on the working spouse’s income.
- IRA limits are entirely separate from 401(k) limits — you can max both.
Roth income limits and the backdoor
Roth IRAs have income limits that traditional IRAs do not. Above the phase-out range, direct contributions are prohibited — but a legal workaround exists.
- For 2025, single filers phase out roughly between $150,000 and $165,000 of modified AGI.
- Married filing jointly phases out at a substantially higher range.
- Married filing separately faces a very narrow phase-out that begins near zero.
- Within the phase-out range you can make a reduced contribution rather than none.
- Above the range, the backdoor Roth — a nondeductible traditional contribution followed by a conversion — is the standard route.
When traditional contributions are deductible
Anyone with earned income can contribute to a traditional IRA. Whether you get a deduction depends on your income and whether a workplace retirement plan covers you.
- Not covered by a workplace plan: your contribution is fully deductible at any income level.
- Covered by a workplace plan: the deduction phases out over a modest income range.
- One spouse covered and the other not: the uncovered spouse has a much higher phase-out range.
- A nondeductible traditional contribution still grows tax-deferred and is tracked on Form 8606.
Making the contribution
The most common IRA mistake is not choosing the wrong type — it is depositing the money and forgetting to invest it.
- 1
Choose Roth or traditional based on whether your tax rate is likely higher now or in retirement.
- 2
Open the account at a low-cost brokerage offering broad index funds.
- 3
Set up an automatic monthly contribution of about $583 to reach $7,000 across the year.
- 4
Actually invest the cash — uninvested contributions sit in a money market fund earning far less than intended.
- 5
When contributing between January and April, specify which tax year the contribution applies to.
Disclaimer: This page includes AI-assisted educational content reviewed for general accuracy. It is not personalized financial, tax, or legal advice. Verify numbers with a qualified professional and our editorial standards.
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Related guides that deepen the same decision.
Roth vs Traditional IRA: Which Is Better for You?
Choose Roth if your tax rate is likely to be higher later (most younger and mid-income savers); choose traditional if you are in a high bracket now and expect lower income in retirement.
ReadRetirementBackdoor Roth IRA: Step-by-Step for High Earners
A backdoor Roth IRA means contributing to a traditional IRA with after-tax dollars and then converting it to a Roth, which is legal for any income level but is taxed proportionally if you hold other pre-tax IRA money.
ReadRetirement401(k) Contribution Limits 2025–2026: Max Out Strategies
The 2025 employee 401(k) deferral limit is $23,500, plus a $7,500 catch-up at age 50 and older, with a combined employee-and-employer cap of $70,000.
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