---
title: How Much Should I Put Into an IRA?
description: Put in as much in an IRA as the government allows you to. That's because the more you save, the more tax-protected gains you can rack up.
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published: '2014-05-20T19:27:46.000Z'
modified: '2024-04-14T08:49:39.000Z'
section: Retirement
tags:
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  - IRA contributions
  - IRAs
  - Retirement
  - retirement accounts
  - retirement investments
  - retirement planning
  - retirement savings
  - Roth IRA
  - Roth IRAs
  - saving for retirement
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![How Much Should I Put Into an IRA?](https://money.com/img/logo-social.png)

It's a good idea to put as much in an [IRA](https://money.com/what-is-an-ira/) as the government allows you to. That's because the more you save in a tax-favored account, the more tax-protected gains you can rack up.

If you're younger than 50, your contributions to [a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA](https://money.com/collection-post/difference-between-traditional-and-roth-ira/), in 2014, are limited to $5,500 or the total of your taxable compensation, whichever is smaller. If you're 50 or over before the end of the year, you're allowed to contribute up to an additional $1,000 for a total yearly contribution of $6,500; this is the IRS's way of encouraging you to save more in the final years before retirement.

However, the amount you can contribute to a Roth IRA also depends on your income. To make the full contribution, your modified adjusted gross income must be less than $114,000 if you're single, or $181,000 as a married couple filing jointly. If you earn slightly above those

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