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The IRA Contribution Calculator determines your maximum allowable contribution to a Traditional IRA or Roth IRA for the 2025 tax year, accounting for the $7,000 annual limit (or $8,000 if you are age 50 or older with the $1,000 catch-up contribution). It evaluates your eligibility for a tax-deductible Traditional IRA contribution based on your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), filing status, and whether you or your spouse are covered by a workplace retirement plan. For Roth IRAs, the calculator applies the income-based phase-out ranges to determine how much you can contribute directly. Understanding these limits helps maximize your retirement savings while staying within IRS rules and avoiding the 6% excess contribution penalty.
Maximum IRA Contribution = min($7,000 + $1,000 if age 50+, Earned Income). Roth Phase-Out: Reduced Limit = Max Contribution x (MAGI Phase-Out Ceiling - Your MAGI) / Phase-Out Range
- 1Enter your age as of December 31, 2025 to determine if you qualify for the $1,000 catch-up contribution (age 50+). Your base limit is $7,000 and catch-up limit is $8,000.
- 2Enter your total earned income (wages, self-employment income, alimony received under pre-2019 agreements). You cannot contribute more than your earned income, so if you earned only $5,000, your maximum contribution is $5,000.
- 3Select Traditional IRA or Roth IRA (or both, but combined contributions cannot exceed the annual limit). The tax treatment differs: Traditional may be tax-deductible now; Roth contributions are after-tax but withdrawals in retirement are tax-free.
- 4For Traditional IRA deductibility: indicate whether you or your spouse is covered by a workplace retirement plan (401k, 403b, pension). If neither is covered, the full contribution is deductible regardless of income. If covered, deductibility phases out at specific MAGI ranges.
- 5For Roth IRA eligibility: enter your MAGI. For 2025, the Roth contribution phases out between $150,000-$165,000 (Single) and $236,000-$246,000 (MFJ). Above the ceiling, direct Roth contributions are not allowed (but backdoor Roth conversions may be possible).
- 6The calculator computes your maximum deductible Traditional IRA contribution, maximum Roth IRA contribution, and identifies whether a backdoor Roth strategy might be appropriate if your income exceeds Roth limits.
- 7Review the tax impact: a deductible Traditional IRA contribution reduces your current-year taxable income, while a Roth IRA contribution provides no current deduction but offers tax-free growth and withdrawals in retirement.
Since no workplace plan covers this filer, the full $7,000 Traditional IRA contribution is deductible regardless of income. The MAGI of $55,000 is also well below the Roth phase-out ($150,000 for single), so the full $7,000 Roth contribution is also available. The choice between Traditional and Roth depends on whether the filer expects to be in a higher or lower tax bracket in retirement.
With a workplace plan and MFJ MAGI of $130,000, the Traditional IRA deduction is partially phased out. Deductible amount = $7,000 x ($146,000 - $130,000) / $20,000 = $5,600. For Roth, MAGI of $130,000 is well below the $236,000 phase-out start, so full $7,000 Roth contribution is available. The Roth may be the better choice here.
At age 55, the catch-up contribution raises the limit to $8,000. However, with a workplace plan and Single MAGI of $95,000, which exceeds the $89,000 deduction phase-out ceiling, the Traditional IRA contribution is NOT deductible (though still allowed as non-deductible). Roth MAGI of $95,000 is below the $150,000 phase-out, so full Roth contribution is available.
MAGI of $200,000 exceeds both the Traditional deduction phase-out ($89,000 ceiling for Single with plan) and the Roth contribution phase-out ($165,000 ceiling). The filer can make a $7,000 non-deductible Traditional IRA contribution and immediately convert it to a Roth IRA (backdoor Roth). This works cleanly only if the filer has no existing pre-tax IRA balances (pro-rata rule).
Workers without employer retirement plans using Traditional IRAs as their primary tax-deferred retirement savings vehicle, deducting contributions to reduce current-year taxes.
Young professionals prioritizing Roth IRA contributions while in lower tax brackets, locking in tax-free growth for decades of compounding.
High earners executing the backdoor Roth IRA strategy to get money into a Roth despite being above income limits, after first contributing to a non-deductible Traditional IRA.
Non-working spouses in single-income households using the spousal IRA provision to maintain their own retirement savings.
Pre-retirees aged 50+ maximizing catch-up contributions ($8,000) in their final working years to boost retirement nest eggs.
Spousal IRA for Non-Working Spouse
If you file a joint return and your spouse has little or no earned income, you can contribute up to $7,000 ($8,000 if spouse is 50+) to a spousal IRA based on your earned income. The combined contributions for both spouses cannot exceed the couple's total earned income. This is one of the few ways a non-earning spouse can build their own retirement savings.
SEP-IRA and SIMPLE IRA Interaction
Contributions to a SEP-IRA or SIMPLE IRA do not count against the $7,000 Traditional/Roth IRA limit since they have separate limits. However, having a SEP or SIMPLE IRA counts as being covered by a workplace plan, which may reduce the deductibility of additional Traditional IRA contributions. Also, converting a SIMPLE IRA to a Roth within the first two years triggers a 25% penalty instead of the usual 10%.
Recharacterization and Conversion Timing
You can recharacterize a current-year IRA contribution (switch from Traditional to Roth or vice versa) until the tax filing deadline including extensions. However, you cannot recharacterize a Roth conversion (this changed under TCJA in 2018). If you convert Traditional IRA funds to a Roth, the conversion is irrevocable and the converted amount is taxable in the year of conversion.
| Category | Limit / Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Contribution Limit (under 50) | $7,000 | Combined across all Traditional and Roth IRAs |
| Catch-Up Contribution (age 50+) | $1,000 additional ($8,000 total) | Not indexed for inflation (fixed by statute) |
| Traditional IRA Deduction Phase-Out (Single, with plan) | $79,000 - $89,000 MAGI | Full deduction below $79,000; no deduction above $89,000 |
| Traditional IRA Deduction Phase-Out (MFJ, spouse with plan) | $126,000 - $146,000 MAGI | Applies when the contributing spouse has a workplace plan |
| Traditional IRA Deduction Phase-Out (MFJ, spouse NOT participant) | $236,000 - $246,000 MAGI | Applies when only the other spouse has a plan |
| Roth IRA Phase-Out (Single/HOH) | $150,000 - $165,000 MAGI | No direct Roth contribution above $165,000 |
| Roth IRA Phase-Out (MFJ) | $236,000 - $246,000 MAGI | No direct Roth contribution above $246,000 |
Can I contribute to both a 401(k) and an IRA?
Yes. The 401(k) and IRA have separate contribution limits. You can max out your 401(k) at $23,500 AND contribute $7,000 to an IRA in the same year. However, having a workplace plan may limit the deductibility of your Traditional IRA contribution depending on your income.
What is the deadline for IRA contributions?
You can make IRA contributions for a given tax year until the tax filing deadline, which is April 15 of the following year (or the next business day if it falls on a weekend/holiday). For the 2025 tax year, the deadline is April 15, 2026. Filing extensions do NOT extend this deadline.
What is a backdoor Roth IRA?
A backdoor Roth is a two-step strategy: (1) contribute to a non-deductible Traditional IRA, then (2) immediately convert it to a Roth IRA. This allows high earners above the Roth income limits to get money into a Roth. However, the pro-rata rule applies if you have existing pre-tax IRA balances, potentially making part of the conversion taxable.
What is the penalty for excess contributions?
The IRS charges a 6% penalty on excess IRA contributions for each year the excess remains in the account. To avoid ongoing penalties, withdraw the excess amount plus any earnings before the tax filing deadline (including extensions). The earnings on the excess are taxable and may be subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty.
Traditional or Roth IRA - which is better?
If you expect to be in a lower tax bracket in retirement, Traditional is generally better (deduct now at a higher rate, pay later at a lower rate). If you expect to be in the same or higher bracket, Roth is better (pay taxes now, withdraw tax-free later). Young workers with decades of growth ahead often benefit most from Roth. There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
Pro Tip
Even if you cannot afford to max out your IRA in January, open the account and contribute what you can throughout the year. Many brokerages allow automatic monthly contributions as low as $50-$100. Investing $583/month gets you to the $7,000 annual limit, and investing earlier in the year gives your money more time to grow.
Did you know?
The Individual Retirement Account was created by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974, with an initial contribution limit of just $1,500 per year. The limit did not reach $2,000 until 1982 and stayed there for nearly 20 years until the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 raised it to $3,000. The catch-up contribution for workers 50+ was also a 2001 innovation.