Key Points
A spousal IRA is a tool that helps married people who are not employed save for retirement.
Your spouse must earn enough to cover their own IRA contributions and yours during the year.
Also know that you may use either a traditional or Roth account as a spousal IRA.
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Before you became a single-income household, you and your spouse probably carefully talked through the pros and cons. If you have children, it likely saves you a fortune in day care costs. But it can also make it more difficult to save for your long-term goals, including retirement.
Fortunately, there is a way for the non-employed spouse to build a nest egg of their own while possibly reducing the household's taxable income. Here's what you and your partner need to do.
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A spousal IRA could be just what you need
The IRS usually only permits you to contribute to an IRA if you have earned income throughout the year, but there's an exception for married couples. As long as your spouse has earned enough during the year to cover their own IRA contributions and contributions made to an IRA in your name, you're in the clear.
A spousal IRA is just a traditional or Roth IRA opened in your name, funded with income your spouse earned from their job. The annual income limits still apply. You can set aside up to $7,500 here in 2026 if you're under 50 or $8,600 if you'll be 50 or older by the end of the year.
A traditional spousal IRA could give you an upfront tax break because contributions to these accounts reduce your taxable income for the year. This could be a smart move if you're in a higher tax bracket today and expect your income to drop significantly in retirement.
Otherwise, a Roth spousal IRA could work better for you. You pay taxes on contributions to these accounts in the year you make them. After that, the money grows tax- and penalty-free. Keep in mind that Roth IRAs have income limits that prevent high earners from contributing to these accounts directly. You can also put some money in each type of account as long as your total contributions don't exceed the annual limit for the year.
One thing to keep in mind
The money in a spousal IRA belongs to the person whose name appears on the account, even if the other spouse earned the money that went into it. This may not seem like a big deal now, but it can become one for some couples in the event of a divorce.
Make sure both parties understand how spousal IRA rules work and that you're comfortable with this arrangement before you start putting money here. You should also keep an eye out for changing contribution limits. The IRS reevaluates these every year and often increases them, so you may be able to set aside more money in your spousal IRA in the future.
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