Traditional IRA Income Limits in 2025 and 2026: Can You Contribute?

Find out if you can contribute and if you make too much money for a tax deduction in 2025 and 2026.

By Kailey Hagen – Updated Nov 18, 2025 at 12:43 PM EST

Key Points

Traditional IRAs allow tax-free growth, with taxes due upon withdrawal.
Income limits apply for deductible contributions if you're covered by a workplace plan.
There is no income limit for making nondeductible traditional IRA contributions.
The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook ›

Traditional IRAs are tax-advantaged retirement savings accounts. Money invested in a traditional IRA can grow tax-free until you begin making withdrawals as a retiree. You'll pay ordinary income taxes on your distributions.

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Data source: IRS.
If Your Tax Filing Status Is:	Your Deduction Begins to Phase Out with an Adjusted Gross Income Of:	And You Cannot Make Deductible Contributions at All Once Your Income Exceeds:
Single or head of household	$79,000 (2025); $81,000 (2026)	$89,000 (2025); $91,000 (2026)
Married filing jointly	$126,000 (2025); $129,000 (2026)	$146,000 (2025); $149,000 (2026)
Married filing separately	$0	$10,000 (2025 and 2026)

If your spouse is covered by a plan at work, there is also a limit on the amount of tax-deductible contributions you're eligible to make to your traditional IRA each year. The table below shows the income limits when your spouse is covered by a retirement plan at work.

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Data source: IRS.
If Your Tax Filing Status Is:	Your Deduction Begins to Phase Out with an Adjusted Gross Income Of:	And You Cannot Make Deductible Contributions at All Once Your Income Exceeds:
Married filing jointly	$236,000 (2025); $242,000 (2026)	$246,000 (2025); $252,000 (2026)
Married filing separately	$0	$10,000 (2025 and 2026)

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About the Author

Kailey Hagen, CFP, is a contributing Motley Fool retirement analyst covering Social Security, Medicare, and retirement planning. Before The Motley Fool, Kailey was a research analyst for Reviews.com focusing on credit and banking products. She is a Certified Financial Planner® and holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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