If You Didn't Contribute to an IRA Last Year, There's Still Time

If you’re gathering documents to file your 2023 tax return and you’re concerned that your tax bill may be higher than you’d like, there might still be an opportunity to lower it. If you qualify, you can make a deductible contribution to a traditional IRA right up until the April 15, 2024, filing date and benefit from the tax savings on your 2023 return. Who is eligible? You can make a deductible contribution to a traditional IRA if: You and your spouse aren’t active participants in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, or You or your spouse are an active participant in an employer plan, but your modified adjusted gross income (AGI) doesn’t exceed certain levels that vary from year to year by filing status. For 2023, if you’re a...

IRAs: Build a Tax-Favored Retirement Nest Egg

Although traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs have been around for decades, the rules involved have changed many times. The Secure 2.0 law, which was enacted at the end of 2022, brought even more changes that made IRAs more advantageous for many taxpayers. What hasn’t changed is that they can help you save for retirement on a tax-favored basis. Here’s an overview of the basic rules and some of the recent changes. Rules for traditional IRAs You can make an annual deductible contribution to a traditional IRA if: You (and your spouse) aren’t active participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans, or You (or your spouse) are active participants in an employer plan, and your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) doesn’t exceed certain levels that vary annually by filing status. For...

Cutting Your Tax Bill with IRAs

If you’re getting ready to file your 2019 tax return, and your tax bill is higher than you’d like, there may still be an opportunity to cut your tax bill with IRAs. If you qualify, you can make a deductible contribution to a traditional IRA right up until the 2020 filing date and benefit from the resulting tax savings on your 2019 return. Do you qualify? You can make a deductible contribution to a traditional IRA if: You (and your spouse) aren’t an active participant in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, or You (or your spouse) are an active participant in an employer plan, and your modified adjusted gross income (AGI) doesn’t exceed certain levels that vary from year-to-year by filing status. For 2019, if you’re a joint tax...