401k, traditional & ROTH IRAs

[davper]

I have yet to find my answer on this.

 

I contribute to my 401k enough to get my employer match. I also want to contribute to a Roth and Traditional IRA. Can I do this or am I limited to one or two options?

 

If I can contribute to all 3, is there a max total $ amount I can contribute. I know the individual contribution limits.

[Kevin20]

I have yet to find my answer on this.

 

I contribute to my 401k enough to get my employer match. I also want to contribute to a Roth and Traditional IRA. Can I do this or am I limited to one or two options?

 

If I can contribute to all 3, is there a max total $ amount I can contribute. I know the individual contribution limits.

 

 

You can contribute to all three, and (assuming you have earned income, i.e., a job) there is no limit to how many such accounts you can have and contribute to. If you had three jobs, you could contribute to three 401ks, AND a hundred traditional IRAs, and a hundred Roth IRAs. The IRS doesn't care about that.

 

But there ARE limits and there are tax implications, and it's complex to list them all, which is why it's hard to find quick answers to these kinds of questions.

 

The main limitation is in how much money you are allowed to contribute. Limits apply to all of these accounts. I'll assume you are under 50 years old. If so you can only contribute up to $5000 among all your IRAs together (not per account.) You could put one dollar each into 5000 IRA's, or $5000 into one IRA, but you are capped at $5000. Roth, traditional, or both, it doesn't matter, your IRAs as a single group are limited to $5000 contribution.

 

Similarly, for any or all 401k accounts, you are limited to investing $16,500 of your money, total, into 401k's in 2009 (which is up from last year). Again, even if you had multiple jobs, the IRS only lets you put in $16,500 total for the year.

 

There are various related limitations, exclusions, deductions vs. non-deductions, different rules based on income, etc., but those are the base limits: you can put $5000 into IRAs AND put $16,500 into 401ks.

Edited January 27, 2009 by Kevin20

[davper]

Thank You

 

You answered my question