Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2024

If you’re saving for retirement, you’ve likely heard about the tax benefits of retirement savings accounts like a 401(k) and an IRA as well as their Roth counterparts. However, each of these accounts comes with a different set of rules about how money is taxed and how much you can contribute. And to account for a rise in the cost of living, contribution limits usually change annually. Here, we’ll break down the rules for contributing to a Roth IRA, including contribution limits and income limits for 2024.  

What is a Roth IRA? 

An individual retirement account, or IRA, is a tax-advantaged retirement savings account that you open on your own (unlike a 401(k), which is typically offered by an employer). With a traditional IRA, you typically contribute pre-tax dollars, which can help lower your taxable income now. However, when you get to retirement, you’ll pay taxes on the money when you withdraw it (you’ll typically also face a penalty on top of taxes if you withdraw your funds prior to turning 59 ½).  

A Roth IRA is the opposite—you contribute after-tax dollars. The rules for withdrawals from a Roth IRA are a little more complex. You can withdraw your contributions at any time. Any earnings can typically be withdrawn tax-free when you’re 59 ½ (as long as you have owned the IRA for at least 5 years).   

If you’re early in your career, a Roth IRA can be a great option because you’ll likely be in a lower tax bracket now than you would be by retirement age, meaning you’ll likely be paying less taxes on your retirement savings in the long run.  

However, like any tax-advantaged retirement savings account, the IRS puts limits on how much you’re able to contribute to a Roth IRA in any given year (based on a general contribution limit and based on your income).  

What are the rules for Roth IRA contributions in 2024? 

Contributions to your Roth IRA are tracked for a period of one year at a time—from January 1 to December 31. However, you’re able to continue making contributions toward an IRA until the tax deadline for that year. So, in 2025, you could continue making contributions to your IRA for the 2024 tax year until April 15, 2025 (you’ll just have to specify if those funds are counting toward 2024 or 2025).  

Each year, the IRS puts two types of limits on the total amount of money you’re able to put into a Roth IRA that year: overall contribution limits (the amount no one is able to contribute more than) and income limits (if you make more than a certain amount of money, you are not able to make the full contribution directly into a Roth). These limits exist because the government doesn’t want to offer unlimited access to a Roth IRA’s attractive tax benefits.  

Roth IRA contribution limits 2024 

Like many other retirement accounts, a Roth IRA has an individual contribution limit each year. Because it is an individual contribution limit, it applies to your contributions to any IRA. That means that if you have both a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA that you contribute to, you’re unable to contribute more than the limit across both accounts.  

In 2024, the max IRA contribution you’re able to make is $7,000. If you’re age 50 or older, you’re able to also contribute an additional $1,000 in catch-up contributions for a contribution total of $8,000.  

Roth IRA income limits 2024 

How much you’re able to contribute to an IRA in any given year will also depend on how much modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) you’ve made that year and your tax filing status.  

Modified AGI  is determined by taking your adjusted gross income and adding certain deductions back in—like student loan interest deductions and traditional IRA deductions.  

A combination of your modified AGI and your filing status will then determine if you are eligible to contribute to a Roth IRA and, if so, how much.  

• If you’re married filing jointly or a qualifying widow(er): If your modified AGI is less than $230,000, then you are able to contribute up to the $7,000 contribution limit ($8,000 if you’re age 50 or older) in 2024. If your modified AGI is between $230,000 and $240,000, you are eligible to contribute, but you’ll have a reduced limit. The value of that limit is calculated using a formula based on your AGI and filing status. If your modified AGI is higher than $240,000, you are unable to directly contribute to a Roth IRA that year.  

• If you’re married filing separately, you lived with your spouse at any time during the year: In 2024, if your individual modified AGI is less than $10,000, you’re able to contribute a reduced amount. However, if your individual modified AGI is greater than $10,000, you’re unable to contribute to a Roth IRA that year.  

• If you’re single, a head of household, or married filing separately and you did not live with your spouse at any time during the year: If your modified AGI is less than $146,000, you’re able to contribute up to the annual limit, and if your modified AGI is between $146,000 and $161,000, you’ll be held to a reduced limit. You’d be ineligible to contribute to an IRA in 2024 if your modified AGI is over $161,000. 

What happens if I put too much in my Roth IRA? 

Overcontributing to a 401(k) or IRA can actually be a good sign: It means you’re serious about saving for your future and taking active steps to do so. However, it can come with certain tax penalties, so you’ll want to stay on top of contribution limits and make sure you don’t exceed them. 

If you do exceed the contribution limit for your Roth IRA, you’ll have until you file your taxes to correct the error. If you don’t withdraw the excess contributions (and their earnings) before tax day, you’ll face a 6 percent tax penalty on the funds every year until you correct the issue. Making this correction can take some time, so it’s important that you address it as soon as you notice the error.  

How much should you contribute to an IRA? 

A good retirement plan relies on a range of financial options that reinforce each other, so how much you’ll want to put into your IRA will depend on your broader financial plan. To get the most out of your retirement savings, you’ll want to keep your eye on the big picture and have a plan for how all these assets will work together. A Northwestern Mutual financial advisor can help you design and maintain a financial plan that maximizes potential tax benefits, grows your money and protects it from common financial risks to help you achieve your financial goals.