Houston Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorney Blog
If you are 50 or older, you can put $6,500 into your Roth IRA: that includes a “catch up” contribution of $1,000. Typical Roth IRA contributions are still limited to $5,500 a year. There are income limits, which you’ll need to be careful about.
One good thing about the new tax law: it raised income limits to qualify for the maximum contribution to a Roth IRA. However, the maximum contribution to a Roth IRA in 2018 is the same as 2017.
Kiplinger’s recent article on this topic asks “How Much Can You Contribute to a Roth IRA for 2018?” In its answer, the article explains that the maximum amount you can contribute to a Roth IRA for 2018 is $5,500, if you're younger than 50. Those age 50 and older can add an extra $1,000 per year in "catch-up" contributions. That is $6,500, which is the maximum contribution amount and the same as 2017.
The actual amount you can contribute to a Roth IRA is based on your income. To be eligible to contribute the maximum for 2018, your modified adjusted gross income (AGI) must be less than $120,000 if you’re single or $189,000 if you’re married and filing jointly. The contributions start to phase out above those amounts. You can't put any money into a Roth IRA once your income reaches $135,000 if single or $199,000, if married and filing jointly. Roth IRA income limits have increased slightly from 2017.
Unlike contributions to a traditional IRA—which may be tax-deductible—a Roth IRA has no up-front tax break. Money goes into the Roth after it’s been taxed. However, when you begin withdrawing funds in retirement, your contributions and all the earnings will be tax-free.
Roth’s are also more flexible than traditional, deductible IRAs. You can withdraw contributions to a Roth account anytime, tax- and penalty-free. However, if you want to withdraw earnings tax-free, you need to be at least age 59½ and must have owned the Roth for at least five years.
Roth’s aren’t subject to required minimum distributions (RMDs) after age 70½, and you can deposit money at any age, provided you have earned income from a job or self-employment. Traditional IRAs prohibit new contributions once you reach 70½, even if you’re working.
There’s no minimum age limit to open a Roth IRA, and you can contribute to another individual's Roth account as a gift. However, the recipients must have earned income, and you can only contribute an amount up to that person's annual earnings or $5,500, whichever is less.
The popular Roth IRA accounts are used by many to leave money to heirs. Beneficiaries do have to take distributions over time, but they don’t have to pay taxes on the distributions. That’s an attractive benefit!
Reference: Kiplinger (April 22, 2018) “How Much Can You Contribute to a Roth IRA for 2018?”