Please explain the law on excess Roth IRA contributions. My husband and I have contributed the maximum to our Roth IRAs for about 10 years, including 2016. I retired in August of 2015 so I had no earned income in 2016. My husband (71 yrs old) retired p

[dmertz · Accepted solution]

With neither you nor your husband having any eligible compensation for 2016, neither of you is eligible to make a Roth IRA contribution for 2016.  See IRS Pub 590-A for the details on how to resolve the excess by requesting a return of excess contribution (not a regular distribution) from your Roth IRA before the due date of your 2016 tax return:

https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590a/ch02.html#en_US_2016_publink1000231024