Eligibility Requirements for IRAs

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A 401(k) isn't the only way to save for retirement—Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) can provide you with another savings vehicle regardless of whether your job offers a 401(k). Traditional IRAs allow you to contribute funds pre-tax, reducing your taxable income, while post-tax Roth IRA contributions can grow tax-free.^[1]

What should you know about IRA eligibility requirements, and how much can you contribute each year?

Who Can Contribute to a Traditional IRA?

Traditional IRA

As long as either you or your spouse earns some taxable income each year, you can contribute to a traditional IRA based on the 2021 total contribution limits. This allows stay-at-home spouses to save for retirement on their own; as long as their spouse earns an income, both the working spouse and the stay-at-home spouse can contribute to an IRA.^[2]

However, depending on your income level and whether you have access to a 401(k) through work, you may not be able to deduct all your contributions— and without the tax deduction a traditional IRA provides, it may not make as much sense to contribute to one.^[3]

• If you don't have access to a 401(k) through work, you're eligible to deduct the full amount of your traditional IRA contribution—regardless of how much you earned.^[4]
• If you do have access to a 401(k) through work, you can deduct the full amount of your traditional IRA contribution if your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is $66,000 or less (for single filers) or $105,000 or less (for married couples filing jointly). After a filer exceeds these income thresholds, they may not be able to deduct the full amount of their contribution.^[5]

Roth IRA

Roth IRAs have similar (albeit different) income restrictions and phase-outs. Those who are single or file taxes as head of household (HOH) can contribute to a Roth IRA in 2021 as long as their MAGI is less than earn $125,000 per year. The taxpayer's Roth eligibility will then begin to phase out until they hit a MAGI of $140,000. Married taxpayers filing jointly can contribute the full amount to a Roth as long as their MAGI is under $198,000, with contributions fully phasing out when they hit $208,000.^[6]

How Much Can You Contribute To an IRA?

In 2021, those who are age 49 and younger can contribute up to $6,000 per year to a traditional or Roth IRA, while those age 50 and older can contribute up to $7,000 per year. These limits may be gradually reduced as the taxpayer reaches or exceeds the income limits detailed above.^[7]

Since the SECURE Act passed, for 2020 and later there is no age limit on making regular contributions to traditional or Roth IRAs.

Talk to a Financial Advisor

Financial advisors with BECU Investment Services are here to help. They can assist you on your retirement journey, ensuring you are on the right track to achieving your financial goals. Set up a complimentary consultation or call 206-439-5720.