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Returning Member
posted Mar 1, 2026 9:57:16 PM

Traditional IRA Contribution Deduction Non-Deductible?

Hello!

 

Filing for 2025 as Married - Separate due to pending divorce.  MAGI is well under IRA max for contributions at $53K.  I have a 403b thru employer.  W-2 Box 13 has no entries.  403 MN appears in Box 14 and research tells me the number in that box is my 403b contribution.  That amount added to Box 1 amount adds up to my state taxable compensation so that all seems to make sense.

 

Turbo Tax will not allow me to enter a contribution to Traditional IRA to reduce taxable income.  As soon as I answer "Yes" to "Are covered by a retirement plan at work?" the contribution is disallowed.  Same thing happens if I answer "No" but on the next page TT asks the same questions about my spouse and I answer in the affirmative.  Apparently I have to provide spouse's info since we were still married on Dec 31, 2025.

 

Based on what I can find, IRS allows contributions to both my employer's 403b (up to $23,500) and to an individual IRA ( up to $7,000).

 

Why is Turbo Tax disallowing my IRA contribution?  It is adding Form 8606 Non-Deductible IRAs as soon as I answer "yes" to me or my spose having an employer retirement plan.

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1 Replies
Returning Member
Mar 1, 2026 10:46:12 PM

After posting, I discovered the IRA deduction for Married Filing Separately phases out completely at $10,000 of MAGI.  Should have done a little more research before posting! 

 

Wow.  That is brutal compared to Married Filing Jointly!