IRA contribution limits 2026
How much you can put in a Roth or Traditional IRA in 2026 per IRS Notice 2025-67 and IRS Publication 590-A: the base limit, the age-50 catch-up under 26 U.S.C. § 414(v), the combined limit rule across all your IRAs, the 15 April 2027 contribution deadline, and how IRA limits interact with a workplace 401(k) under 26 U.S.C. § 402(g).
2026 limits at a glance (IRS Notice 2025-67)
$7,000
per year, across all your IRAs combined per IRS Pub 590-A Table 2-1
$8,000
$7,000 base + $1,000 catch-up per 26 U.S.C. § 414(v)
15 April 2027
to make 2026 tax-year contributions per IRC § 219(f)(3); Pub 590-A "When Can You Make Contributions?"
Source: IRS Notice 2025-67 (published 2025-11-13); IRS Publication 590-A (Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements). Statutory basis: 26 U.S.C. § 219(b)(5)(A) (Traditional) and 26 U.S.C. § 408A(c)(2) (Roth). Last verified 2026-05-27.
The combined limit rule (26 U.S.C. § 408A(c)(2))
The $7,000 (or $8,000) limit applies to all your IRAs added together, per IRS Publication 590-A. You can split the money between a Roth and a Traditional IRA, but the total cannot exceed the limit. Excess contributions trigger the 6 percent annual penalty under 26 U.S.C. § 4973 (reported on IRS Form 5329).
| Example | Roth | Traditional | Total | Status under Pub 590-A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Split contribution | $4,000 | $3,000 | $7,000 | Allowed |
| All Roth | $7,000 | $0 | $7,000 | Allowed |
| Maxing both | $7,000 | $7,000 | $14,000 | Excess (IRC § 4973, 6% per year) |
Historical IRA contribution limits (every year cites its IRS Notice)
Each annual figure is set by an IRS Cost-of-Living-Adjustment notice authorised by 26 U.S.C. § 219(b)(5)(C) and reflected in the contemporaneous revision of IRS Publication 590-A.
| Tax year | Under 50 | Age 50 plus | Catch-up | IRS Notice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | $5,500 | $6,500 | $1,000 | IRS Notice 2013-73 |
| 2015 | $5,500 | $6,500 | $1,000 | IRS Notice 2014-99 |
| 2016 | $5,500 | $6,500 | $1,000 | IRS Notice 2015-75 |
| 2017 | $5,500 | $6,500 | $1,000 | IRS Notice 2016-62 |
| 2018 | $5,500 | $6,500 | $1,000 | IRS Notice 2017-64 |
| 2019 | $6,000 | $7,000 | $1,000 | IRS Notice 2018-83 |
| 2020 | $6,000 | $7,000 | $1,000 | IRS Notice 2019-59 |
| 2021 | $6,000 | $7,000 | $1,000 | IRS Notice 2020-79 |
| 2022 | $6,000 | $7,000 | $1,000 | IRS Notice 2021-61 |
| 2023 | $6,500 | $7,500 | $1,000 | IRS Notice 2022-55 |
| 2024 | $7,000 | $8,000 | $1,000 | IRS Notice 2023-75 |
| 2025 | $7,000 | $8,000 | $1,000 | IRS Notice 2024-80 |
| 2026 (current) | $7,000 | $8,000 | $1,000 | IRS Notice 2025-67 |
Source: each row pulled from the IRS Notice listed and cross-verified against the corresponding IRS Publication 590-A revision and the IRS COLA Increases page. Catch-up applies starting the year you turn 50 per 26 U.S.C. § 414(v).
Workplace 401(k) does not reduce IRA limit
Per IRS Publication 590-A and IRS Publication 4334, having a 401(k) does not lower your IRA contribution cap. The $23,500 employee deferral limit for 2026 under 26 U.S.C. § 402(g) and the $7,000 IRA limit under 26 U.S.C. § 219 are entirely separate buckets. What a workplace plan can do is reduce your Traditional IRA deduction at lower income levels. See Pub 590-A Table 1-2 deduction phase-outs.
Spousal IRA doubles your household contribution
Per 26 U.S.C. § 219(c) and IRS Publication 590-A ("Spousal IRA Limit"), a non-working spouse can contribute to their own IRA based on the working spouse's earned income. The same $7,000 ($8,000 if 50 plus) limit applies. For households with one earner, this effectively doubles the IRA contribution capacity to $14,000 ($16,000 if both 50 plus).
Custodian reporting: IRS Form 5498
Your IRA custodian (Fidelity, Vanguard, Schwab, etc.) is required to file IRS Form 5498 (IRA Contribution Information) with the IRS each year, reporting all contributions, rollovers, and conversions on your account. You receive a copy in May, after the contribution deadline. Keep these forms; they prove the basis you accumulate for any backdoor Roth or non-deductible contributions reported on IRS Form 8606.