Single
Married Filing Jointly
Married Filing Separately
Head of Household
Your Roth IRA Contribution Limit:
$0
Understanding Roth IRA Contribution Limits
A Roth IRA (Individual Retirement Arrangement) is a popular retirement savings plan that allows your investments to grow tax-free. A key feature is that qualified withdrawals in retirement are also tax-free. However, the U.S. government sets annual limits on how much you can contribute to a Roth IRA. These limits are influenced by your age, income, and filing status. This calculator helps you determine your maximum allowable contribution for the specified tax year.
How the Limits Work
The IRS determines the maximum contribution limit each year, and this amount often increases due to inflation. For individuals under 50, there's a base limit. For those aged 50 and over, an additional "catch-up" contribution is allowed.
Key Factors:
Base Contribution Limit: The standard maximum amount an individual can contribute annually.
Catch-Up Contribution: An extra amount allowed for individuals who are age 50 or older by the end of the tax year.
Income Phase-Outs: The ability to contribute to a Roth IRA is gradually reduced or eliminated if your income exceeds certain thresholds. This is known as the "Modified Adjusted Gross Income" (MAGI) phase-out. The phase-out ranges differ based on your filing status.
The Math Behind the Calculator
The calculator uses the official IRS limits and MAGI phase-out rules for the selected tax year.
Determine Base and Catch-Up Limits: The calculator first identifies the standard contribution limit and the catch-up limit (if applicable based on age) for the chosen tax year.
Check MAGI Phase-Outs: Based on your filing status and MAGI, the calculator determines if your contribution limit is reduced.
Single, Head of Household, or Married Filing Separately (if you didn't live with your spouse at any time during the year): There's a specific MAGI range where the contribution limit is reduced. If your MAGI is above the upper limit of this range, you cannot contribute directly to a Roth IRA.
Married Filing Jointly or Qualifying Widow(er): A different, higher MAGI range applies for phase-outs.
Married Filing Separately (if you lived with your spouse): A very low MAGI range applies, making direct Roth IRA contributions difficult if you have any significant income.
Calculate Reduced Limit: If your MAGI falls within a phase-out range, the calculator applies a formula to determine the reduced contribution limit. The formula generally looks like this:
Reduced Limit = Base Limit * (1 – ( (MAGI – Lower Phase-Out Limit) / (Upper Phase-Out Limit – Lower Phase-Out Limit) ))
This calculation is adjusted to also account for the catch-up contribution if applicable.
Final Limit: The result is the lesser of the maximum allowable contribution (base limit + catch-up, if applicable) or the calculated reduced limit based on MAGI. If your MAGI is too high for your filing status, the limit is $0.
Note: The actual contribution limits and MAGI phase-out ranges are set by the IRS and can change annually. This calculator uses the most current available data. Always consult official IRS publications or a tax professional for definitive guidance.
function getRothIRAContributionLimits(year, age, filingStatus, magi) {
var baseLimit = 0;
var catchUpLimit = 0;
var lowerMAGI = 0;
var upperMAGI = 0;
var reducedLimit = 0;
var isMFJOrQualifying = (filingStatus === "married_filing_jointly" || filingStatus === "qualifying_widow(er)");
var isMFSAndLivedWithSpouse = (filingStatus === "married_filing_separately"); // Special handling for MFS
// IRS Limits (example data for 2023 & 2024 – these should be updated annually)
if (year == "2023") {
baseLimit = 6500;
catchUpLimit = 1000;
if (isMFJOrQualifying) {
lowerMAGI = 218000;
upperMAGI = 228000;
} else if (filingStatus === "married_filing_separately") {
// If lived with spouse, much lower phase out. Assume this for MFS unless specified otherwise.
lowerMAGI = 0;
upperMAGI = 10000;
} else { // Single, Head of Household
lowerMAGI = 138000;
upperMAGI = 153000;
}
} else if (year == "2024") {
baseLimit = 7000;
catchUpLimit = 1000;
if (isMFJOrQualifying) {
lowerMAGI = 230000;
upperMAGI = 240000;
} else if (filingStatus === "married_filing_separately") {
// If lived with spouse, much lower phase out. Assume this for MFS unless specified otherwise.
lowerMAGI = 0;
upperMAGI = 10000;
} else { // Single, Head of Household
lowerMAGI = 146000;
upperMAGI = 161000;
}
} else {
return { limit: 0, message: "Unsupported tax year." };
}
var totalMaxContribution = baseLimit;
if (age >= 50) {
totalMaxContribution += catchUpLimit;
}
// Handle MAGI phase-out
if (magi > upperMAGI) {
// MAGI too high, cannot contribute
return { limit: 0, message: "Your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) is too high to contribute directly to a Roth IRA for this filing status and tax year." };
} else if (magi >= lowerMAGI) {
// MAGI is within the phase-out range
var phaseOutRange = upperMAGI – lowerMAGI;
var incomeInPhaseOut = magi – lowerMAGI;
var reductionFactor = incomeInPhaseOut / phaseOutRange;
// Special handling for MFS with low phase-out range
if (filingStatus === "married_filing_separately" && upperMAGI 0 and 0) {
reducedLimit = totalMaxContribution * (1 – reductionFactor);
// Ensure we don't reduce below 0 and cap at base limit if phase-out is extreme
reducedLimit = Math.max(0, reducedLimit);
} else {
reducedLimit = totalMaxContribution;
}
} else {
reducedLimit = totalMaxContribution * (1 – reductionFactor);
// Ensure we don't reduce below 0
reducedLimit = Math.max(0, reducedLimit);
}
// The reduced limit cannot exceed the total maximum contribution
return { limit: Math.min(totalMaxContribution, reducedLimit), message: "" };
} else {
// MAGI is below the phase-out range, full contribution allowed
return { limit: totalMaxContribution, message: "" };
}
}
function calculateRothIRA() {
var taxYear = document.getElementById("taxYear").value;
var age = parseInt(document.getElementById("age").value);
var filingStatus = document.getElementById("filingStatus").value;
var magi = parseInt(document.getElementById("modifiedAdjustedGrossIncome").value);
var errorMessageDiv = document.getElementById("errorMessage");
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
errorMessageDiv.style.display = "none";
resultDiv.style.color = "#28a745"; // Reset to success green
// — Input Validation —
if (isNaN(age) || age < 0) {
errorMessageDiv.textContent = "Please enter a valid age (must be a non-negative number).";
errorMessageDiv.style.display = "block";
resultDiv.textContent = "$0";
return;
}
// Show MAGI input only for relevant filing statuses or if user might need it
var magiInputGroup = document.getElementById("magiInputGroup");
if (filingStatus === "single" || filingStatus === "head_of_household" ||
filingStatus === "married_filing_jointly" ||
filingStatus === "married_filing_separately") {
magiInputGroup.style.display = "block";
if (isNaN(magi) || magi < 0) {
errorMessageDiv.textContent = "Please enter a valid Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) if required for your filing status.";
errorMessageDiv.style.display = "block";
resultDiv.textContent = "$0";
return;
}
} else {
magiInputGroup.style.display = "none";
magi = 0; // Default MAGI to 0 if not applicable/shown
}
// Determine limits based on inputs
var limits = getRothIRAContributionLimits(taxYear, age, filingStatus, magi);
if (limits.message) {
errorMessageDiv.textContent = limits.message;
errorMessageDiv.style.display = "block";
resultDiv.style.color = "#dc3545"; // Indicate error with red
resultDiv.textContent = "$0";
} else {
// Format the result with commas and dollar sign
var formattedLimit = "$" + limits.limit.toLocaleString(undefined, {
minimumFractionDigits: 0,
maximumFractionDigits: 0
});
resultDiv.textContent = formattedLimit;
}
}
// Initial setup for MAGI visibility based on default filing status
document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
var filingStatusSelect = document.getElementById("filingStatus");
var magiInputGroup = document.getElementById("magiInputGroup");
var currentFilingStatus = filingStatusSelect.value;
if (currentFilingStatus === "single" || currentFilingStatus === "head_of_household" ||
currentFilingStatus === "married_filing_jointly" ||
currentFilingStatus === "married_filing_separately") {
magiInputGroup.style.display = "block";
} else {
magiInputGroup.style.display = "none";
}
// Trigger calculation on load for default values
calculateRothIRA();
});
// Update MAGI input visibility when filing status changes
document.getElementById("filingStatus").addEventListener("change", function() {
var filingStatus = this.value;
var magiInputGroup = document.getElementById("magiInputGroup");
if (filingStatus === "single" || filingStatus === "head_of_household" ||
filingStatus === "married_filing_jointly" ||
filingStatus === "married_filing_separately") {
magiInputGroup.style.display = "block";
} else {
magiInputGroup.style.display = "none";
// Reset MAGI value if it's hidden to avoid using old data inadvertently
document.getElementById("modifiedAdjustedGrossIncome").value = "0";
}
});