The Florida Estate Planning and Probate Law Blog is focused on recent federal and state case law and planning ideas.

2015 RETIREMENT ACCOUNT CONTRIBUTION LIMITS

♠ Posted by Marc J. Soss at Thursday, October 23, 2014
Taxpayers can now put aside a little more toward their retirement in 2015, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

The agency has adjusted the maximum contribution allowed for pension plans and other retirement funds for tax year 2015, it announced today, a change reflecting cost-of-living increases.

Taxpayers 50 years old and over can contribute up to $24,000 in retirement funds for 2015, an increase of $1,000 from 2014.

Though some limits remain unchanged from last year, several ceilings have increased. Some of the changes include:

• The elective deferral (contribution) limit for employees who participate in 401(k)s, 403(b)s, most 457 plans and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan has been increased from $17,500 to $18,000.

• The catch-up contribution limit for employees aged 50 and over who participate in those same plans has been increased from $5,500 to $6,000.

• The limit on annual contributions to an IRA remains unchanged at $5,500. The additional catch-up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $1,000.

• The deduction for taxpayers making contributions to a traditional IRA has been phased out for singles and heads of households who are covered by a workplace retirement plan and have modified adjusted gross incomes (AGI) between $61,000 and $71,000, up from $60,000 and $70,000 in 2014. For married couples filing jointly, the income phase-out range is $98,000 to $118,000, up from $96,000 to $116,000. 

For an IRA contributor who is not covered by a workplace retirement plan and is married to someone who is covered, the deduction is phased out if the couple’s income is between $183,000 and $193,000, up from $181,000 and $191,000. For a married individual filing a separate return who is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $0 to $10,000.

• The AGI phase-out range for taxpayers making contributions to a Roth IRA is $183,000 to $193,000 for married couples filing jointly, up from $181,000 to $191,000 in 2014. For singles and heads of household, the income phase-out range is $116,000 to $131,000, up from $114,000 to $129,000. For a married individual filing a separate return, the phase-out range is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $0 to $10,000.

• Low and moderate income savers who receive a credit for their AGI (also known as the retirement savings contribution credit) will see the credit rise. It will be $61,000 for married couples filing jointly, up from $60,000 in 2014; $45,750 for heads of household, up from $45,000; and $30,500 for married individuals filing separately and for singles, up from $30,000.