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Next Gen Econ > Personal Finance > Retirement > Can You Contribute to a Roth IRA Without Having Earned Income?
Retirement

Can You Contribute to a Roth IRA Without Having Earned Income?

NGEC By NGEC Last updated: June 6, 2025 8 Min Read
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You generally need earned income—such as wages, tips, or self-employment income—to contribute to a Roth IRA, since these accounts are meant to support retirement savings from active work. If you don’t have earned income, you typically can’t contribute directly, though exceptions like spousal IRAs or indirect strategies may offer alternatives. A financial advisor can help you explore alternatives like spousal IRAs or backdoor Roth strategies if you don’t have earned income but still want to contribute to a Roth IRA.

Eligibility to Contribute to a Roth IRA

To contribute to a Roth IRA, you generally must have earned income from wages, salaries, commissions or self-employment activities. Investment income, Social Security benefits and pension payments don’t qualify as earned income for Roth IRA contribution purposes. The maximum you can contribute is either the annual limit set by the IRS or your total earned income for the year, whichever is lower.

Unlike traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs have no age restrictions for contributions. As long as you meet the income requirements and have earned income, you can continue contributing to a Roth IRA regardless of your age. This feature makes Roth IRAs particularly attractive for older workers who want to continue building tax-free retirement savings well into their later years.

You can make Roth IRA contributions for the current tax year up to the tax filing deadline of the following year, which typically falls on April 15.