You can contribute to a Roth individual retirement account (IRA) after filing your taxes, and you don’t need to amend your return. If you’ve ever used software to file your taxes, you may have noticed a question that pops up: “Have you made or do youplan to makecontributions to a Roth IRA for [this year]?”
The reason why the question is there is that you can still contribute to a Roth and count it toward the previous year’scontribution limit even if you’ve already filed your taxes. The only caveats are that you must fund the account (1) with income earned in that tax year and (2) before the April tax-filing deadline. So you can contribute up through April of, say, 2024, but only using 2023 income.
Key Takeaways
- For 2023, you could contribute up to $6,500 ($7,000 in 2024) a year to your Roth individual retirement account (IRA) or $7,500 ($8,000 in 2024) if you’re age 50 or older.
- You have from January 1 of the tax year to April 15 of the following year (when your tax return is typically due) to fund your Roth IRA.
- If you file your tax return early, you can still add money to your Roth until tax day.
- If you file for an extension, your tax return will be due on October 16, but that won’t extend the deadline to contribute to your Roth.
How Post-Filing Roth IRA Contributions Work
As you probably know, you have from January 1 of the tax year to tax day in April of the following year to fund your Roth IRA.
That’s a good thing—those extra few months at the beginning of the following year give you time in case you:
- Didn’t get around to contributing last year
- Didn’t have the funds to contribute at the time
- Came into an unexpected windfall early this year
- Just learned about Roth IRAs and want to start one for the previous tax year
But what if you filed your taxes in February, and it’s now March or early April? No problem. You can still fund a Roth IRA if you send in your contribution before the official tax deadline.
For the 2023 tax year, for example, that means all contributions made before April 15, 2024, could go toward 2023’s Roth IRA contribution limit.
You might be able to take the saver’s credit if you contributed to a Roth IRA and had a relatively low income for the year. It can be worth up to $1,000 ($2,000 if you're married filing jointly).
Why You Can Fund a Roth IRA After You File Your Taxes
You fund a Roth IRA with after-tax dollars. In other words, you’ve already paid taxes on the money you’re about to invest.
The government has received its cut, and there is no need to report the contributions on your income tax return. You won’t receive a tax break for contributing, so the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) doesn’t need to see what you contributed when you file.
And you won’t even have to amend and refile your tax return.
Roth IRA Contribution Limits
Of course, you still have to obey the general Roth IRA contribution rules and limits. For 2023 you can contribute up to $6,500 a year ($7,000 for 2024) or $7,500 ($8,000 for 2024) if you’re 50 or older.
If you’ve already invested up to the annual maximum amount for that year, you can’t add any more just because the deposit is dated with a new calendar year.
You may be tempted to have the contribution count toward the current year’s limit. However, if you have the option, it’s better to finish off last year’s contribution first, then work on this year's. That way, you can maximize the amount of money you set aside for retirement (you’ll be able to fully fund both years). Be sure to specify which year’s account you’re funding when you deposit the money with the financial institution that holds your account.
Should You Use Your Tax Refund to Fund a Roth IRA?
Those few extra months to get in your contribution can be a great relief. This is especially true if you like to get your tax return over with but need a few extra months to come up with your contribution.
What if you were an early-bird filer because you expected a tax refund? If so, you could use the refund to make your Roth contribution.
If you file your taxes early enough in the tax season, you could theoretically get your refund before the tax deadline. Then, you could use the refund to top off your Roth IRA contribution for the tax year for which you already filed. That’s assuming that the timing works out, of course—sometimes the IRS announces that the agency is taking longer than usual to process returns, so you may not want to take any chances.
Special Considerations for Funding a Roth After Filing
Remember that if you take an extension to file your tax return, you will still have to fund your IRA by the April deadline. Just as filing for an extension doesn’t change the due date of your tax payment, it also won’t alter the deadline for the year’s IRA contribution. Any contributions you make after April 15 can only count toward the current year’s limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA) Contribution Limits for 2022 and 2023?
For 2023, the Roth individual retirement account (IRA) contribution limits were $6,500 for anyone under age 50 and $7,500 for those 50 or older. In 2024, the limits change to $7,000 and $8,000.
Can I Fund a Traditional IRA After Filing My Taxes?
Yes, you can fund a traditional IRA after filing your taxes, but the process differs from the one for Roth IRAs. If you know how much you plan to contribute, you can indicate that amount on your tax return, and you’ll be fine if you follow through and contribute that amount by the April tax-filing deadline. Otherwise, you can file an amended tax return for the year and claim your traditional IRA deduction on it.
Can I Lose Money in a Roth IRA?
Yes, you can lose money in a Roth IRA, as with any other investment that’s subject to the ups and downs of the markets. However, the longer you leave money in a Roth IRA, the less likely it is you will lose money as long as the market continues its long-term upward trend.
The Bottom Line
If at all possible, try to max out your Roth IRA contributions every year. By doing so, you’ll increase the chance of having a comfortable—and well-funded—retirement.
And remember: You have a full 15 months to contribute to your Roth IRA each year, even if file your tax return early.
CORRECTION: April 19, 2024—The deadline to contribute was adjusted for 2024.
