IRA Contribution Limits for 2026
TL;DR: For 2026, the combined Traditional plus Roth IRA contribution limit is $7,500, or $8,600 for savers age 50 and older once the $1,100 catch-up is added, and the total can never exceed your taxable compensation for the year. Roth contributions phase out between $153,000 and $168,000 of modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) for single filers and between $242,000 and $252,000 for those married filing jointly, while a Traditional IRA deduction phases out on a separate schedule tied to workplace-plan coverage. SEP and SIMPLE IRAs run on their own, much higher limits. Miss the deadline or overcontribute and a 6 percent excise tax applies each year the excess sits in the account.
What is the IRA contribution limit for 2026?
The 2026 limit for combined Traditional and Roth IRA contributions is $7,500, rising to $8,600 for anyone 50 or older.
The Internal Revenue Service raised the base limit from $7,000 in 2025 to $7,500 for 2026, and it increased the age-50 catch-up contribution from $1,000 to $1,100, bringing the total available to an eligible saver aged 50 or over to $8,600. Both figures come from the IRS’s annual cost-of-living release and apply across every IRA you hold in a given tax year. If you have a Traditional IRA and a Roth IRA, the $7,500 or $8,600 ceiling is a combined cap across both accounts, not a separate limit for each.
| Item | 2026 amount |
| IRA contribution limit (Traditional and Roth combined) | $7,500 |
| Age-50 catch-up | $1,100 (total $8,600) |
For context on how these figures fit alongside workplace accounts and other IRA types, the types of IRA accounts overview on our IRA investing hub lays out the full menu before you decide where a contribution belongs.
Do you need earned income to contribute to an IRA?
Yes. Your IRA contribution for the year can never exceed your taxable compensation, though a working spouse’s income can cover a non-working spouse’s contribution.
The IRS caps the total you can put into an IRA at the lesser of the annual dollar limit or your taxable compensation for the year. A retiree with no wage or self-employment income in a given year generally cannot contribute to an IRA for that year on their own earnings. There is one built-in exception. Under the spousal IRA rule in Internal Revenue Code section 219, sometimes called the Kay Bailey Hutchison Spousal IRA after the statute that created it, a non-working or lower-earning spouse can still contribute up to the annual limit as long as the couple files a joint return and the working spouse’s compensation covers both contributions. The ira investing by life stage guide walks through how this rule plays out for couples approaching retirement with an uneven earnings history.
What are the Roth IRA income limits for 2026?
Roth IRA eligibility phases out between $153,000 and $168,000 of MAGI for single filers and between $242,000 and $252,000 for married couples filing jointly.
Roth contributions are never tax-deductible, but they are also gated by income in a way Traditional contributions are not. Above the top of each range, direct Roth contributions are not permitted for that tax year at all. The phase-out is gradual across the range rather than a hard cutoff at the bottom.
| Filing status | 2026 MAGI phase-out range |
| Single or head of household | $153,000 to $168,000 |
| Married filing jointly | $242,000 to $252,000 |
| Married filing separately (lived with spouse) | $0 to $10,000 |
Savers whose income sits above these ranges commonly use a nondeductible Traditional IRA contribution converted to Roth, a mechanic often called a backdoor Roth, though the mechanics and pitfalls of that strategy are a separate topic from the limits here. For a full side-by-side of how Roth rules compare with the Traditional account, see the Roth IRA and Traditional IRA pages.
Can you deduct a Traditional IRA contribution?
Deductibility depends on whether you or your spouse is covered by a workplace retirement plan, not on the Traditional IRA contribution itself, which is never income-limited.
Anyone with sufficient compensation can contribute to a Traditional IRA regardless of income. What income does limit is the tax deduction, and only if you or your spouse is an active participant in a workplace plan such as a 401(k). If neither spouse is covered by a workplace plan, the phase-outs below do not apply and the full contribution is deductible no matter how high your income runs.
| Filing status and coverage | 2026 deduction phase-out range |
| Single or head of household, covered by a workplace plan | $81,000 to $91,000 |
| Married filing jointly, contributing spouse covered | $129,000 to $149,000 |
| Married filing jointly, contributor not covered but spouse is | $242,000 to $252,000 |
| Married filing separately, covered | $0 to $10,000 |
| Neither spouse covered by a workplace plan | No phase-out, full deduction |
A contribution above the deduction phase-out is still allowed. It simply becomes a nondeductible contribution, which creates basis you track on Form 8606 rather than a lost opportunity to contribute at all. The tax strategy hub covers how deduction eligibility interacts with the rest of a retirement tax plan.
How do SEP and SIMPLE IRA limits compare?
SEP and SIMPLE IRAs run on employer-plan limits that are far higher than the personal IRA cap, and neither shares the $7,500 ceiling above.
A SEP IRA is funded entirely by employer contributions, capped at the lesser of 25 percent of compensation or $72,000 for 2026. A SIMPLE IRA instead runs on employee salary deferrals, with a standard 2026 limit of $17,000 plus employer matching or nonelective contributions on top. Both are separate account types with their own eligibility rules, and neither displaces the personal $7,500 or $8,600 limit if you also hold a Traditional or Roth IRA on the side, though your total deduction picture changes once a workplace-style plan is in the mix.
| Account type | 2026 limit |
| SEP IRA (employer contribution) | Lesser of 25% of compensation or $72,000 |
| SIMPLE IRA (standard employee deferral) | $17,000 |
For the eligibility and mechanics behind each, see the SEP IRA and SIMPLE IRA pages.
When is the 2026 IRA contribution deadline?
Contributions for tax year 2026 are generally due by April 15, 2027, the return filing deadline, and that date does not move even if you file an extension.
The IRS explains the rule in Publication 590-A: contributions can be made “at any time during the year or by the due date for filing your return for that year, not including extensions.” For most savers making a 2026 contribution, that means the money has to be in the account by April 15, 2027. If you contribute between January 1 and the filing deadline, tell your custodian which tax year the contribution is for, since a contribution made in that window can be designated for either the current year or the prior year. Savers who want to track contributions against the annual limit across the year can use the contribution tracking tool.
What happens if you contribute too much?
Excess IRA contributions trigger a 6 percent excise tax for every year the excess remains in the account, but the fix is straightforward if you catch it before you file.
Under Internal Revenue Code section 4973, the IRS imposes a tax equal to 6 percent of the excess contribution amount for each taxable year it stays in the account, capped at 6 percent of the account’s total value. The cleanest fix is withdrawing the excess plus any earnings it generated before your filing deadline, including extensions, which avoids the excise tax for that year entirely. If the deadline has passed, you can instead absorb the excess against a future year’s contribution limit, though the 6 percent tax applies for each year it went uncorrected. Excess contributions and the related tax are reported on Form 5329.
FAQ
What is the IRA contribution limit for 2026? The combined Traditional and Roth IRA limit for 2026 is $7,500, or $8,600 if you are 50 or older, capped at your taxable compensation for the year.
What is the IRA catch-up contribution for 2026? The age-50 catch-up contribution for 2026 is $1,100, bringing the total available limit to $8,600 for eligible savers.
What are the Roth IRA income limits for 2026? Roth eligibility phases out between $153,000 and $168,000 of MAGI for single filers and heads of household, and between $242,000 and $252,000 for married couples filing jointly.
Can I contribute to a Traditional IRA if I have a 401(k) at work? Yes, the contribution itself is never income-limited. Only the tax deduction is limited, and only if you or your spouse is covered by a workplace plan, per the Traditional IRA deduction phase-out ranges above.
What is the deadline for 2026 IRA contributions? Generally April 15, 2027, the filing deadline for the 2026 tax year, and that date does not extend even if you file for a tax extension.
What happens if I contribute more than the limit? A 6 percent excise tax applies to the excess amount for each year it remains in the account, under Internal Revenue Code section 4973, unless you withdraw the excess and its earnings before your filing deadline.
This page is educational information, not individualized tax, legal, or financial advice. Contribution limits, phase-out ranges, and penalty rules change from year to year. Always consult your own legal, financial, and tax professionals before opening or changing a retirement account.
By Tim Schmidt + Sean Webster Reviewed by Sean Webster