Short answer
For 2026, the Roth IRA phase-out starts at $153,000 for single filers and $242,000 for joint filers.
IRS says the 2026 Roth IRA contribution phase-out range is $153,000 to $168,000 for single filers and heads of household, $242,000 to $252,000 for married filing jointly, and $0 to $10,000 for married filing separately.
Start here
What you actually came to find out
Plain answers first. Sources stay below for checking details.
Single or head of household?
The 2026 Roth IRA phase-out range is $153,000 to $168,000.
Married filing jointly?
The 2026 Roth IRA phase-out range is $242,000 to $252,000.
Married filing separately?
The phase-out range remains $0 to $10,000 under the IRS release.
What is the contribution limit?
IRS lists the 2026 IRA contribution limit at $7,500, with a $1,100 age-50 catch-up.
Single phase-out
$153K to $168K
IRS lists the 2026 Roth IRA phase-out range for singles and heads of household.
Source trail: IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500
Joint phase-out
$242K to $252K
IRS lists the 2026 Roth IRA phase-out range for married couples filing jointly.
Source trail: IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500
IRA limit
$7.5K
IRS lists the 2026 IRA contribution limit at $7,500.
Source trail: IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500
Catch-up
$1.1K
IRS lists the age-50 IRA catch-up limit at $1,100 for 2026.
Source trail: IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500
A neutral way to read the limit is this: Roth eligibility is an annual contribution rule, not a measure of whether Roth money belongs in the whole retirement map.
Neutral landscape
The shape of the question
The Roth IRA income ranges come from the IRS 2026 retirement limit release. Filing status decides which phase-out range applies.
Source trail: IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500
The IRA dollar limit is separate from the income range. IRS lists the 2026 IRA contribution limit at $7,500 and the age-50 catch-up at $1,100.
Source trail: IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500
The Roth account itself has its own tax treatment. IRS Roth IRA guidance explains qualified distributions and Roth account rules.
Source trail: IRS: Roth IRAs
A backdoor Roth question uses a different source trail because nondeductible IRA basis and conversion rules enter the picture.
Source trail: IRS: Publication 590-A: Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements, IRS: Publication 590-B: Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements
Curator core
What the authorities say
These sources are here for the reader who wants to check the work. The plain-English answer stays above them.
Source 01
IRS
401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500
The IRS release gives 2026 401(k), IRA, catch-up, Roth IRA income phase-out, and related retirement-plan limits.
Source framing
IRS publishes the 2026 retirement contribution limits and Roth IRA income phase-out ranges.
Strongest for: 2026 retirement account contribution and Roth income limits
Read at IRSSource 02
IRS
Roth IRAs
The IRS Roth IRA page explains contribution eligibility, qualified distributions, and the Roth tax structure.
Source framing
IRS frames Roth IRAs around after-tax contributions and qualified tax-free distributions.
Strongest for: official Roth IRA rules
Read at IRSSource 03
IRS
Publication 590-A: Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements
Publication 590-A is the IRS source for IRA contribution rules, nondeductible contributions, and reporting.
Source framing
IRS Publication 590-A covers traditional and Roth IRA contribution mechanics.
Strongest for: IRA contribution details and nondeductible IRA context
Read at IRSSource 04
IRS
Publication 590-B: Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements
Publication 590-B is the IRS source for IRA distributions, Roth ordering rules, and required minimum distributions.
Source framing
IRS Publication 590-B explains distribution rules that matter after money leaves an IRA.
Strongest for: RMDs, Roth distribution rules, and IRA withdrawals
Read at IRSSource 05
IRS
IRA Deduction Limits
The IRS deduction limits page explains when traditional IRA deductions phase down or disappear.
Source framing
IRS ties traditional IRA deductibility to income, filing status, and workplace retirement plan coverage.
Strongest for: traditional IRA deduction limits
Read at IRSSource 06
IRS
Tax Inflation Adjustments
The IRS annual inflation adjustment release is the primary source for federal brackets, standard deductions, and selected thresholds.
Source framing
IRS updates tax brackets, standard deductions, and many tax thresholds each year for inflation.
Strongest for: current federal tax-year thresholds
Read at IRSPlain-English forks
The forks people face
Most retirement questions hide a few smaller decisions. These are the practical pieces that change the plan.
What is the filing status?
Why it matters: Roth IRA income limits are keyed to filing status.
In real life: This fork decides the income band.
What to look at: What to look at: IRS 2026 Roth IRA phase-out ranges.
Is income inside, inside the phase-out, or above it?
Why it matters: The contribution can be full, reduced, or unavailable for direct Roth IRA contributions.
In real life: This fork changes the direct contribution lane.
What to look at: What to look at: modified adjusted gross income for the year.
Is there already IRA money?
Why it matters: Existing traditional IRA money can matter for conversion sequences.
In real life: This fork matters for backdoor Roth mechanics.
What to look at: What to look at: IRS Publication 590-A and 590-B.
Is this a contribution or conversion?
Why it matters: Contribution limits and conversion rules are different source trails.
In real life: This fork keeps the page from mixing two different questions.
What to look at: What to look at: IRS Roth, IRA, and distribution rules.
Common questions
Quick answers
Short, plain answers for the questions people usually have next. The source trail stays available below.
What are the 2026 Roth IRA income limits for single filers?+
IRS lists the 2026 Roth IRA phase-out range for single filers and heads of household at $153,000 to $168,000.
What are the 2026 Roth IRA income limits for married filing jointly?+
IRS lists the 2026 joint phase-out range at $242,000 to $252,000.
What is the 2026 Roth IRA contribution limit?+
IRS lists the 2026 IRA contribution limit at $7,500, with a $1,100 catch-up for age 50 and older.
Are Roth IRA income limits the same as Roth conversion limits?+
No. Roth IRA contribution eligibility and Roth conversion taxation use different IRS rule paths.
What does modified adjusted gross income mean here?+
The IRS Roth IRA phase-out ranges use modified adjusted gross income, so the tax return matters.
Where does this belong in the plan?+
It belongs in the account-contribution and tax-timing layer, separate from spending and retirement age.
How this page is curated
This page uses IRS 2026 retirement limit guidance, IRS Roth IRA rules, IRS Publication 590-A, IRS Publication 590-B, and IRS annual tax sources. It separates direct Roth IRA contribution limits from conversion rules.
Read the planner methodologyTrust anchor
Sources used on this page
Every source named above is listed here in one place.
IRS. 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-7500IRS. Roth IRAs
https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/roth-irasIRS. Publication 590-A: Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements
https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590aIRS. Publication 590-B: Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements
https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590bIRS. IRA Deduction Limits
https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/ira-deduction-limitsIRS. Tax Inflation Adjustments
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-releases-tax-inflation-adjustments-for-tax-year-2026-including-amendments-from-the-one-big-beautiful-bill
Before you act on this
This plan is educational. It is not personalized financial, tax, or insurance advice. Projections illustrate the math, they do not predict the future. Talk to your own licensed financial professional before acting on any of it.