Key Points
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Maxing out a traditional IRA can reduce your taxable income by $7,500 this year.
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I choose not to do this because I contribute to a Roth IRA instead.
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I have to pay taxes on my contributions up front, but I’ll get tax-free withdrawals in retirement.
I don’t love paying taxes any more than you do. With two kids at home, retirement savings to build, and bills to pay, I’d like to hold on to as much of my hard-earned cash as possible. So it might sound strange to hear that when given the option to reduce my taxable income by $7,500 this year, potentially saving myself thousands of dollars in taxes, I skipped it.
It’s not because I can’t afford to claim the deduction. It’s because I recognize that claiming it comes with trade-offs I’m not willing to accept.
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Contributions to traditional IRAs reduce your taxable income for the year. In 2026, adults under 50 may contribute up to $7,500 to one of these accounts. This helps you get a leg up on retirement savings while keeping your taxes manageable today, but it comes with a big drawback.
When you retire, you owe ordinary income taxes on those withdrawals. That might not be too bad if you’re in a lower tax bracket in retirement, but if you’re in the same or a higher tax bracket than you were when you first saved the money, a traditional IRA is less desirable than a Roth IRA.
Roth IRAs have the same contribution limits as traditional IRAs (unless you’re a high earner). However, they’re taxed differently. You owe taxes on your Roth IRA contributions in the year you make them — but then you can withdraw those funds tax-free in retirement.
It’s tough to put a price on tax-free retirement withdrawals, which is why I always start the year by maxing out my Roth IRA, even though I know it means leaving a $7,500 tax deduction on the table.
Only you can decide whether this is the right move for you, but it’s worth considering. You can also contribute money to both types of IRA if you’re not sure which is best. Just keep in mind that the $7,500 limit applies to all your IRAs, not to each account individually. Exceeding the annual limit could result in costly tax penalties.
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