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Account	Contribution rules	Tax treatment
Traditional IRA	For 2026, the combined regular Traditional and Roth IRA limit is $7,500, or $8,600 if age 50 or older by year end, limited by eligible compensation. It is one shared limit across custodians. For a single filer covered at work, the deduction phase-out is $81,000–$91,000 of modified AGI; for a jointly filing contributor covered at work, it is $129,000–$149,000. Different rules apply when only a spouse is covered, or when filing separately. Use the IRS worksheet for your status.	An allowed deduction reduces current taxable income. Investment income generally remains untaxed while inside the account, and taxable distributions are ordinary income. Nondeductible contributions create basis rather than a second deduction. Preserve Form 8606 records across years and custodians. A custodian receiving your account does not necessarily receive your complete tax-basis history.
Roth IRA	The 2026 combined regular IRA limit is $7,500, or $8,600 at age 50 or older, subject to compensation. Direct Roth contributions phase out at modified AGI of $153,000–$168,000 for single/head-of-household filers and $242,000–$252,000 for married filing jointly. Married filing separately while living with a spouse has a different $0–$10,000 range. A contribution must also fit the shared Traditional/Roth annual limit.	The owner has no lifetime Roth IRA required minimum distributions. Qualified earnings distributions generally require the Roth IRA five-tax-year period plus age 59½, disability, death, or a qualifying first-home condition within its limit. Inherited Roth IRAs have beneficiary distribution requirements. State treatment should be checked separately.
SEP IRA	For 2026, employer contributions generally cannot exceed the lesser of 25% of an employee’s compensation or $72,000. The compensation cap and plan terms also matter. Self-employed owners use an adjusted net-earnings calculation; simply multiplying Schedule C profit by 25% is incorrect. SEP employer contributions are distinct from the individual’s regular IRA limit.	Employer contributions can generally be deducted within the applicable limits. Conventional pre-tax SEP balances grow tax-deferred and distributions are generally taxable. Roth SEP treatment is permitted under newer legislation, but provider support and reporting need checking. Confirm the type of contribution your provider actually accepts instead of assuming every SEP offers the same tax options.
SIMPLE IRA	The general 2026 employee deferral limit is $17,000. Certain applicable SIMPLE arrangements have an $18,100 limit. General age-50 catch-up contributions are $4,000, with different $3,850 provisions for certain applicable plans; ages 60–63 can have a $5,250 catch-up. These are alternative rules, not amounts to add together indiscriminately. Employer matching or nonelective contributions are separate. Verify your plan notice and the IRS limit for that plan.	Pre-tax employee deferrals generally reduce current federal taxable income; distributions are generally taxable. Employer contributions follow plan requirements. Ask whether Roth SIMPLE contributions are supported by your provider and how they are reported. Federal income-tax treatment does not settle every payroll-tax or state-tax question.