IRAs are accounts that belong to an individual. The $5,500 limit is limit for the contributions made to each individual's IRAs. In other words, you cam make IRA contributions totaling $5,500 to your IRAs and, separately, your spouse can make IRA contributions totaling $5,500 to your spouse's IRAs. You cannot make contributions to your spouse's IRAs and your spouse cannot make contributions to your IRAs (although in some cases one spouse's income can be used to support the other spouse's contributions).