IRA Contribution Limit Calculator
The amount you can contribute to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) each year is set by the IRS and adjusted periodically for inflation. For 2025, the base limit is $7,000. If you are age 50 or older, you may contribute an additional $1,000 catch-up amount. However, your actual contribution cannot exceed your taxable compensation for the year. This calculator applies all three constraints (the base limit, the catch-up addition, and the earned income cap) to give you your personal maximum IRA contribution for 2025. Note: Roth IRA contributions are also subject to income phase-outs; use the Roth IRA Phase-Out Calculator for that additional step.
IRA contribution limit formula (2025)
Base limit = $7,000
Catch-up = $1,000 if age >= 50, else $0
Maximum = min(Base limit + Catch-up, taxable compensation)
The IRS sets the base limit annually. The catch-up provision allows savers age 50 and older to contribute an extra $1,000. The final limit is always capped at actual earned income, so low-income filers cannot exceed what they earned.
IRA contribution rules to know
- The $7,000/$8,000 limit is the combined maximum for all your Traditional and Roth IRAs in a single year.
- Spousal IRA: a non-working spouse can contribute up to the limit based on the working spouse's earned income, as long as you file a joint return.
- Traditional IRA deductibility phases out if you have a workplace plan and your income exceeds IRS thresholds (see Publication 590-A).
- You have until Tax Day (typically April 15) of the following year to make your IRA contribution for the prior tax year.
- Roth IRA contributions phase out at higher income levels; use the Roth IRA Phase-Out Calculator for those details.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 2025 IRA contribution limit?
For 2025, the standard IRA contribution limit is $7,000. Individuals who are age 50 or older by the end of 2025 may contribute an additional $1,000 catch-up contribution, for a total of $8,000. These limits apply to the combined total of all your Traditional and Roth IRA contributions.
Can I contribute to both a Traditional and Roth IRA?
Yes, but your combined contributions to all your IRAs cannot exceed the annual limit ($7,000 or $8,000 with catch-up for 2025). You can split the amount between Traditional and Roth in any proportion you choose.
Does earned income affect how much I can contribute?
Yes. Your IRA contribution cannot exceed your taxable compensation (wages, self-employment income, etc.) for the year. If you earned $4,000, you can contribute a maximum of $4,000 even though the limit is $7,000.
Are there income limits for Traditional IRA deductibility?
If you (or your spouse) are covered by a workplace retirement plan, your Traditional IRA deduction phases out at certain MAGI levels. For 2025, the phase-out for single filers covered by a workplace plan starts at $79,000 and ends at $89,000. You can still make a non-deductible contribution up to the limit regardless of income.
What happens if I over-contribute to an IRA?
Excess contributions are subject to a 6% annual excise tax for each year the excess remains in the account. To avoid this penalty, you must withdraw the excess plus any earnings attributable to it before the tax filing deadline (including extensions).
Official sources
- IRS Publication 590-A: Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)
- IRS: IRA Contribution Limits
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 15 June 2026. See our methodology.