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Will getting a tradition IRA before April 15th reduce my federal tax bill for 2017?

 
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SamiaI
Employee Tax Expert

Will getting a tradition IRA before April 15th reduce my federal tax bill for 2017?

It depends on your filing status, your income, and if you or your spouse is covered by a retirement plan with your Employer. 

For any Traditional IRA deduction, you must have earned income. If you do, there are a couple of possibilities. If you (and a jointly-filing spouse) didn’t contribute to an employer-sponsored retirement plan, like a 401 (k), or self-employed retirement plan your entire Traditional IRA contribution is deductible.

But if you (and/or your jointly-filing spouse) contributed to an employer-sponsored or self-employed retirement plan in 2017, the amount you can deduct will depend on your tax filing status and modified adjusted gross income (MAGI).

Note that if your MAGI is:

  • Below the phase-out range—your entire contribution is deductible.
  • Above the phase-out range—you can’t deduct anything.
  • Within the phase-out range—you can make a partial deduction (we’ll calculate this for you).

Here are the MAGI phase-out ranges for tax year 2017 if you participated in another retirement plan:

  • Single, Head of Household, or Married Filing Separately, the phase-out range is $62,000 – $72,000
  • Married Filing Jointly or Qualified Widower, the phase-out range is $99,000 – $119,000
  • Married Filing Separately (but lived with your spouse), the phase-out range is $0 – $9,999

If you didn't participate in another retirement plan, but your spouse did, and you're:

  • Filing jointly, the phase-out range is $186,000 – $196,000
  • Filing separately, the phase-out range is $0 – $9,999

The most you can contribute to all of your Traditional IRA is the smaller of: 

  • $5,500 ( $6,500 if you're age 50 or older by the end of the year) or
  • your taxable compensation for the year. 

The deadline to make 2017 IRA contributions is until April 17, 2018.

View solution in original post

4 Replies
SamiaI
Employee Tax Expert

Will getting a tradition IRA before April 15th reduce my federal tax bill for 2017?

It depends on your filing status, your income, and if you or your spouse is covered by a retirement plan with your Employer. 

For any Traditional IRA deduction, you must have earned income. If you do, there are a couple of possibilities. If you (and a jointly-filing spouse) didn’t contribute to an employer-sponsored retirement plan, like a 401 (k), or self-employed retirement plan your entire Traditional IRA contribution is deductible.

But if you (and/or your jointly-filing spouse) contributed to an employer-sponsored or self-employed retirement plan in 2017, the amount you can deduct will depend on your tax filing status and modified adjusted gross income (MAGI).

Note that if your MAGI is:

  • Below the phase-out range—your entire contribution is deductible.
  • Above the phase-out range—you can’t deduct anything.
  • Within the phase-out range—you can make a partial deduction (we’ll calculate this for you).

Here are the MAGI phase-out ranges for tax year 2017 if you participated in another retirement plan:

  • Single, Head of Household, or Married Filing Separately, the phase-out range is $62,000 – $72,000
  • Married Filing Jointly or Qualified Widower, the phase-out range is $99,000 – $119,000
  • Married Filing Separately (but lived with your spouse), the phase-out range is $0 – $9,999

If you didn't participate in another retirement plan, but your spouse did, and you're:

  • Filing jointly, the phase-out range is $186,000 – $196,000
  • Filing separately, the phase-out range is $0 – $9,999

The most you can contribute to all of your Traditional IRA is the smaller of: 

  • $5,500 ( $6,500 if you're age 50 or older by the end of the year) or
  • your taxable compensation for the year. 

The deadline to make 2017 IRA contributions is until April 17, 2018.

Will getting a tradition IRA before April 15th reduce my federal tax bill for 2017?

So if I file as single and make less than $62k MAGI, my entire contribution to a Traditional IRA is deductible?  I work for the state and did not contribute to a 401k or similar type of plan, though we do have a pension.  Would this change anything?
SamiaI
Employee Tax Expert

Will getting a tradition IRA before April 15th reduce my federal tax bill for 2017?

Yes, it is fully deductible since its below $62k

Will getting a tradition IRA before April 15th reduce my federal tax bill for 2017?

I am filing singe and make less than $62K but my amount owed is not changing when I add additional contribution. Am I putting the amount in the wrong place?
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