Updated October 1, 2026. Quick answer: For 2026 the Roth IRA income phase-out range is $153,000 to $168,000 for single filers and heads of household, and $242,000 to $252,000 for married couples filing jointly. For married filing separately it stays at $0 to $10,000. The IRA contribution limit is $7,500, plus $1,100 for people 50 and older.
Related reading on this site: IRS Publication 590-A.
Related reading on this site: IRA contribution deadline 2026 and Roth conversion deadline 2026.
The IRS form or worksheet behind this, read line by line: Form 8606 instructions.
The deduction and credit limits for the same year: the 2026 traditional IRA deduction limits and the 2026 Saver’s Credit limits.
2026 Roth IRA income phase-out ranges
| Filing status | 2026 modified AGI range | 2025 range |
|---|---|---|
| Single and head of household | $153,000 to $168,000 | $150,000 to $165,000 |
| Married filing jointly and qualifying widow(er) | $242,000 to $252,000 | $236,000 to $246,000 |
| Married filing separately | $0 to $10,000 | $0 to $10,000 |
The notice states the single range as “between $153,000 and $168,000, increased from between $150,000 and $165,000.” For joint filers it is “between $242,000 and $252,000 for married couples filing jointly, increased from between $236,000 and $246,000.”
How to read a phase-out range
Below the bottom of the range the full Roth IRA contribution is allowed. Inside the range the allowed contribution shrinks as income rises. At or above the top of the range a direct Roth IRA contribution is not allowed. The ranges apply to modified adjusted gross income, not to salary alone.
Married filing separately
The notice says the range for a married individual filing a separate return “is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains between $0 and $10,000.” A separate filer therefore has very little room before the contribution is phased out entirely.
How much you can contribute
The IRA limit for 2026 is “increased to $7,500 from $7,000”. The catch-up for those 50 and over was “increased to $1,100, up from $1,000 for 2025”, so a saver 50 or older can contribute up to $8,600 in total, computed here from the two sourced figures. The IRS states the limit for IRAs as one annual figure, so Roth and traditional IRA contributions count against the same amount.
Common mistakes
- Comparing salary to the range. The test uses modified adjusted gross income.
- Using the 2025 ranges on a 2026 contribution. Every dollar threshold moved up in 2026 except married filing separately.
- Assuming the Roth and traditional limits stack. They share one annual limit.
- Treating the top of the range as a soft limit. A direct contribution is not allowed above it.
Related: the 2027 Roth IRA limits, the IRA contribution limit page, and the 2026 retirement numbers hub.
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Answer againSources
- IRS Notice 2025-67, 2026 Amounts Relating to Retirement Plans and IRAs, as Adjusted for Changes in Cost-of-Living: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-25-67.pdf
- IRS news release IR-2025-111 (Nov. 13, 2025), 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/401k-limit-increases-to-24500-for-2026-ira-limit-increases-to-7500
Sources: the primary documents linked above, read on October 1, 2026. General information, not tax advice. Your own facts decide the outcome, and a preparer, the plan administrator or the agency itself is the right place to confirm anything consequential.