IRA and Retirement Plan Limits for 2015

IRA contribution limits

The maximum amount you can contribute to a traditional IRA or Roth IRA in 2015 is $5,500 (or 100% of your earned income, if less), unchanged from 2014. The maximum catch-up contribution for those age 50 or older remains at $1,000. (You can contribute to both a traditional and Roth IRA in 2015, but your total contributions can't exceed these annual limits.)


Traditional IRA deduction limits for 2015

The income limits for determining the deductibility of traditional IRA contributions have increased for 2015 (for those covered by employer retirement plans). For example, you can fully deduct your IRA contribution if your filing status is single/head of household and your income ("modified adjusted gross income," or MAGI) is $61,000 or less (up from $60,000 in 2014). If you're married and filing a joint return, you can fully deduct your IRA contribution if your MAGI is $98,000 or less (up from $96,000 in 2014). If you're not covered by an employer plan but your spouse is, and you file a joint return, you can fully deduct your IRA contribution if your MAGI is $183,000 or less (up from $181,000 in 2014).


Roth IRA contribution limits for 2015

The income limits for determining how much you can contribute to a Roth IRA have also increased. If your filing status is single/head of household, you can contribute the full $5,500 to a Roth IRA in 2015 if your MAGI is $116,000 or less (up from $114,000 in 2014). And if you're married and filing a joint return, you can make a full contribution if your MAGI is $183,000 or less (up from $181,000 in 2014). (Again, contributions can't exceed 100% of your earned income.)

Employer retirement plans

The maximum amount you can contribute (your "elective deferrals") to a 401(k) plan has increased for 2015. The limit (which also applies to 403(b), 457(b), and SAR-SEP plans, as well as the Federal Thrift Plan) is $18,000 in 2015 (up from $17,500 in 2014). If you're age 50 or older, you can also make catch-up contributions of up to $6,000 to these plans in 2015 (up from $5,500 in 2014). (Special catch-up limits apply to certain participants in 403(b) and 457(b) plans.)

If you participate in more than one retirement plan, your total elective deferrals can't exceed the annual limit ($18,000 in 2015 plus any applicable catch-up contribution). Deferrals to 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, SIMPLE plans, and SAR-SEPs are included in this limit, but deferrals to Section 457(b) plans are not. For example, if you participate in both a 403(b) plan and a 457(b) plan, you can defer the full dollar limit to each plan--a total of $36,000 in 2015 (plus any catch-up contributions).

The amount you can contribute to a SIMPLE IRA or SIMPLE 401(k) plan has increased to $12,500 for 2015, up from $12,000 in 2014. The catch-up limit for those age 50 or older has also increased, to $3,000 (up from $2,500 in 2014).

Note: Contributions can't exceed 100% of your income.

The maximum amount that can be allocated to your account in a defined contribution plan (for example, a 401(k) plan or profit-sharing plan) in 2015 is $53,000 (up from $52,000 in 2014), plus age-50 catch-up contributions. (This includes both your contributions and your employer's contributions. Special rules apply if your employer sponsors more than one retirement plan.)

Finally, the maximum amount of compensation that can be taken into account in determining benefits for most plans in 2015 has increased to $265,000, up from $260,000 in 2014; the dollar threshold for determining highly compensated employees (when 2015 is the look-back year) is $120,000, up from $115,000 in 2014.


IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES 

PRIVATE WEALTH CFOs® LLC does not provide tax or legal advice. The information presented here is not specific to any individual's personal circumstances.

To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on his or her individual circumstances.

These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable--we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.