You may not be aware of the spousal IRA rules that allow for this, but it’s a simple process. Here’s how it works and how to tell whether you qualify.
Who Is Eligible for a Spousal IRA Contribution?
To make an IRA contribution, you must have earned income equal to or greater than the amount you’re putting in. For couples, as long as one of you has earned income and you file a joint federal income tax return, the spouse who isn’t working can open a traditional IRA or Roth IRA and contribute to it. At the same time, the working spouse can add to their own IRA. Each spouse can add funds to the annual limit. The limits for a spousal IRA are the same as other IRAs. For 2021 and 2022, the maximum allowable IRA contribution is $6,000 if you’re under age 50, and $7,000 if you’re 50 or older.
Decide Whether the Spousal IRA Should Be Traditional or Roth
Although you can make a spousal IRA contribution to either a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA, your income may help you decide on one or the other account type. There is no income limit for adding to a traditional IRA. That makes it a good option for both high and low earners. That’s not the case with Roth IRAs. For 2022, you can only make a spousal Roth IRA contribution if your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is less than $214,000, up from $208,000 in 2021. Many people who can place money in a Roth IRA choose to do so. You add money to a Roth after taxes, and they grow tax-free. A Roth may give you a better outcome when you retire if you pay lower taxes now than you would after you retire.
Consider Your Traditional IRA Deduction Potential
You might be able to deduct spousal IRA contributions from your taxes. Your income might be too high for a Roth. In this case, you can add as much money as you want to a traditional IRA and deduct the contributions if you and your spouse meet the income criteria. You or your spouse might have an employer-sponsored retirement plan such as a 401(k). Your income level will drive how much of the funds you can deduct from your taxes. If neither of you has a company retirement plan, you can deduct your traditional IRA contributions. This also includes adding funds to a spouse’s traditional IRA. If your income is too high, the IRA deduction may be limited. In 2022, if you’re married, filing jointly, and have a plan at work, you can deduct the entire amount of your IRA contribution if your MAGI is $105,000 or less, up from $104,000 in 2021. Even if your income keeps you from taking a deduction for your IRA funds, you can still make a nondeductible IRA contribution. This can lead you to an opportunity to use what’s called a “backdoor entry” into a Roth IRA. “Backdoor entry” is a term for rolling a traditional IRA into a Roth. Nondeductible IRAs still grow, defer taxes, and protect your money from creditors (although state laws vary on creditor protection for IRAs).
Spousal IRA Age Limits
Before 2020, you could not add funds to a traditional IRA after turning 70 1/2, but you could still make Roth IRA contributions no matter what your age was. For tax years 2021 and later, there is no maximum age limit for making contributions to traditional or Roth IRAs. Required minimum distribution (RMD) laws remain the same for spousal IRAs. Starting the year you turn 72, you have to take the RMDs. Since the age limit for contributing has been removed, you can make your withdrawals and keep adding to your IRA if you have earned income. This does make sense, as it allows you to maintain a higher balance in your account while you or your spouse are making withdrawals.
