Roth IRA income limits for 2026
Up to $7,500 can go into a Roth IRA for 2026, $8,600 from 50. Above $153,000 of income single, or $242,000 married filing jointly, that shrinks, and past $168,000 or $252,000 it stops.
Where it shrinks and stops
By modified AGI and filing status. Married filing separately and apart all year, the single line applies.
| Filing status | Shrinks from | Nothing from |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $153,000 | $168,000 |
| Head of household | $153,000 | $168,000 |
| Married filing jointly | $242,000 | $252,000 |
| Married filing separately, living together | $0 | $10,000 |
In between, the amount shrinks in proportion, rounded up to the next $10 and never under $200 until it stops. At $160,500 single, $3,750 can go in.
The rest of the rules
Modified AGI is the adjusted gross income on your Form 1040, less any income from a Roth conversion, with a few things added back, such as a traditional IRA deduction, student loan interest and foreign income exclusions.
One limit for both IRAs. The $7,500 ($8,600 if you are 50 or older on December 31) covers your traditional and Roth IRAs together, and can’t be more than what you earned from work. Filing jointly, a spouse with little or no pay can use the couple’s.
The last day for 2026 is April 15, 2027. Money put in between January 1 and then can count for either year, so tell the provider which.
Above the line, put it in a traditional IRA without deducting it and convert it: the backdoor Roth. A Roth 401(k) at work has no income limit at all.
Questions people ask
What are the Roth IRA income limits for 2026?
Single or head of household, the amount shrinks from $153,000 of modified AGI and stops at $168,000. Married filing jointly, it shrinks from $242,000 and stops at $252,000. Married filing separately and living together, it stops at $10,000.
What if my income is in between?
You can put in part of the limit, in proportion to how far you are from the top, rounded up to the next $10 and never under $200. At $160,500 single that is $3,750.
What if I earn too much for a Roth IRA?
Put the money in a traditional IRA without deducting it and convert it to Roth. There is no income limit on converting. That is the backdoor Roth.
Does converting to Roth count toward the income limit?
No. Income from converting a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA is left out of modified AGI for this test.
What if I already put money in and earned too much?
Take it out with what it earned by your filing deadline, extensions included, or move it to a traditional IRA in time (a recharacterization). Left in, it costs 6% a year.
When is the last day for 2026?
April 15, 2027, the filing deadline without extensions.
Checked on October 2, 2026 against IR-2025-111, 2026 401(k) and IRA limits, Notice 2025-67 and Publication 590-A, Contributions to IRAs. An estimate for your records, not tax advice.
Where a Roth IRA sits among your other accounts, after the 401(k) match and an HSA: the savings waterfall.
More if you save or invest
- Tax-equivalent yield calculatorThe money market fund that pays you most after tax
- Savings waterfall calculatorWhich account your next dollar goes to, and how much
- 401(k) contribution limitsThis year’s limits, catch-ups and the total
- Backdoor RothOver the income line, step by step, and the mega backdoor
- 529 tax deduction by stateWhat 529 money takes off your state taxes
Put more back in your pocket.
Reimburse tells you whether your Roth IRA goes in straight or through the backdoor, and reminds you before the last day.