Are traditional IRA available to high income earners?
Key Points. Anyone with earned income can fund a traditional IRA. You may be eligible to deduct your contribution depending on your income and whether you have a workplace retirement plan.
No income limits: As long as you're working, you can keep contributing to a traditional IRA, as well as your 401(k).
There are no income limitations to contribute to a non-deductible Traditional IRA, and the maximum contribution per year is $6,500 for tax year 2023 and $7,000 for tax year 2024 ($7,500 for tax year 2023 and $8,000 for tax year 2024 if you're age 50 or over).
For 2020 and later, there is no age limit on making regular contributions to traditional or Roth IRAs. For 2019, if you're 70 ½ or older, you can't make a regular contribution to a traditional IRA.
Contributions to individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and 401(k) accounts are capped by law, in part so that high earners won't benefit more than the average worker. The contribution limits vary by the type of plan and the age of the plan participant.
If you don't qualify to make a deductible contribution, you can still put money in a traditional IRA. With a Roth IRA, if you make too much money, the option to contribute to an account is off the table. However, there is the option of a backdoor Roth IRA.
Phase-out Ranges & Income Limits
The traditional IRA phase-out ranges for 2024 are: For single taxpayers covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range begins at $77,000 and ends at $87,000 (up from $73,000 and $83,000 in 2023).
In general, if you think you'll be in a higher tax bracket when you retire, a Roth IRA may be the better choice. You'll pay taxes now, at a lower rate, and withdraw funds tax-free in retirement when you're in a higher tax bracket.
With a Traditional IRA, your money can grow tax deferred, but you'll pay ordinary income tax on your withdrawals, and you must start taking distributions after age 73. Unlike with a Roth IRA, there are no income limitations to opening a Traditional IRA.
A work 401(k) is a nice perk to help you increase your retirement savings. If you're also trying to save outside of your employer-sponsored retirement plan, however, you might run into some problems. The good news is that you can contribute to an IRA even if you also contribute to a 401(k) at work.
Is everyone eligible for a traditional IRA?
Anyone with earned income can open and contribute to an IRA, including those who have a 401(k) account through an employer.
Anyone with earned income can contribute to a Traditional IRA. Traditional IRAs require withdrawals once you are age 73.
To contribute to a Roth IRA, single tax filers must have a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of less than $153,000 in 2023. In 2024, the threshold rises to $161,000. If married and filing jointly, your joint MAGI must be under $228,000 in 2023. In 2024, the threshold rises to $240,000.
If you qualify as a highly compensated employee and it limits your 401(k) contributions more than you'd like, you can always use a different type of retirement account. You can instead open an individual retirement account (IRA), but your 2023 contributions are limited to $6,500, or $7,500 if you're 50 or older.
| Rank | Asset | Average Proportion of Total Wealth |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Equities | 18% |
| 3 | Commercial Property | 14% |
| 4 | Bonds | 12% |
| 5 | Private Equity / Venture Capital | 6% |
With brokerage accounts there are no contribution limits (as you would have with IRAs), and there are no withdrawal penalties either. But brokerage accounts are taxable, unlike IRAs which are either tax-deferred or tax-free and have rules around contribution and withdrawals.
There Are Income Limits
One disadvantage of the Roth IRA is that you can't contribute to one if you make too much money. The limits are based on your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) and tax filing status.
Putting money into a tax-advantaged individual retirement account (IRA) is another wise choice if you have $100,000 to invest. Taking this step can offer the advantage of decreasing your annual income and thus your tax burden.
A backdoor Roth IRA is a conversion that allows high earners to open a Roth IRA despite IRS-imposed income limits. Basically, you put money you've already paid taxes on in a traditional IRA, then convert your contributed money into a Roth IRA, and you're done.
You may be able to take a tax credit for making eligible contributions to your IRA or employer-sponsored retirement plan. Also, you may be eligible for a credit for contributions to your Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account, if you're the designated beneficiary.
What is the Magi limit for traditional IRA?
For taxpayers who are covered by a retirement plan at work, the deduction for contributions to a traditional IRA is reduced (phased out) if the MAGI is: More than $116,000 but less than $136,000 for a married couple filing a joint return or a qualifying surviving spouse.
If you are making non-deductible IRA contributions, it likely means you don't meet the eligibility requirements of either a traditional or Roth IRA.
come retirement time, depending on your tax bracket. That means that you'll have to save that much more to fund your retirement cash flow. If you're young and confident that you'll be earning more and in a higher tax bracket in the future, the Roth 401(k) may be a good choice.
"Unfortunately, the income limits on Roth IRAs make it difficult for many higher-income individuals to contribute directly to these accounts," said Hayden Adams, CPA, CFP®, director of tax and wealth management at the Schwab Center for Financial Research.
Are You Too Old for a Roth IRA? There is no maximum age limit to contribute to a Roth IRA, so you can add funds after creating the account if you meet the qualifications. Roth IRAs can provide significant tax benefits to young people.
