The IRS has released 2026 income limits for traditional and Roth IRA contributions, and they've climbed again with inflation adjustments.
For married couples filing jointly, the Roth IRA income phase-out range starts higher than in 2025. Couples earning above certain thresholds lose the ability to contribute directly to a Roth IRA. Meanwhile, traditional IRA deduction limits shift upward as well, affecting your ability to deduct contributions when a workplace retirement plan covers you.
Single filers face their own phase-out ranges, which also increased. If you earn above the threshold, you can still contribute to a traditional IRA, but your deduction shrinks or disappears entirely if you're covered by an employer 401(k) or similar plan.
The practical math: if your household income sits near these limits, you need to act strategically. High earners locked out of Roth contributions can use the backdoor Roth strategy, which lets you contribute to a traditional IRA and convert it to a Roth. However, pro-rata rules apply if you hold other pre-tax IRA balances, complicating the math.
For traditional IRA contributors covered by workplace plans, the phase-out means your tax deduction vanishes gradually as earnings climb. You can still make contributions, but you won't get the tax break. If neither spouse has a workplace plan, the income limits don't apply to either person.
The 2026 contribution limit itself hasn't been announced yet, but expect it to stay at $7,000 for those under 50, with the usual $1,000 catch-up available for savers 50 and older.
Check your 2025 income projection now. If you're approaching or exceeding these limits, you have time to plan before year-end. Consider maxing out