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Pub. 590, Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) 2006 Tax Year

Publication 590 - Introductory Material

This is archived information that pertains only to the 2006 Tax Year. If you
are looking for information for the current tax year, go to the Tax Prep Help Area.

Due date for contributions and withdrawals. Contributions can be made to your traditional IRA for a year at any time during the year or by the due date for filing your return for that year, not including extensions. Because Emancipation Day, April 16, 2007, is a legal holiday in the District of Columbia, the due date for making contributions for 2006 is April 17, 2007. See When Can Contributions Be Made? in chapter 1. There is a 6% excise tax on excess contributions not withdrawn by the due date (including extensions) for your return. You will not have to pay the 6% tax if any 2006 excess contributions are withdrawn by April 17, 2007 (including extensions). See Excess Contributions under What Acts Result in Penalties or Additional Taxes? in chapter 1.

Traditional IRA contribution and deduction limit. If you were age 50 or older before 2007, the most that could be contributed to your traditional IRA for 2006 is the smaller of the following amounts:

  • $5,000, or

  • Your taxable compensation for the year.

For more information, see How Much Can Be Contributed? in chapter 1.

Roth IRA contribution limit. If you were age 50 or older before 2007 and contributions on your behalf were made only to Roth IRAs, your contribution limit for 2006 is generally the lesser of:

  • $5,000, or

  • Your taxable compensation for the year.

However, if your modified adjusted gross income (AGI) is above a certain amount, your contribution limit may be reduced. For more information, see How Much Can Be Contributed? under Can You Contribute to a Roth IRA? in chapter 2.

Modified AGI limit for traditional IRA contributions increased. For 2006, if you were covered by a retirement plan at work, your deduction for contributions to a traditional IRA is reduced (phased out) if your modified AGI is:

  • More than $75,000 but less than $85,000 for a married couple filing a joint return or a qualifying widow(er),

  • More than $50,000 but less than $60,000 for a single individual or head of household, or

  • Less than $10,000 for a married individual filing a separate return.

See How Much Can You Deduct? in chapter 1.

Additional salary reduction contributions to SIMPLE IRAs for persons age 50 and older. For 2006, additional salary reduction contributions could be made to your SIMPLE IRA if:

  • You were age 50 or older before 2007, and

  • No other salary reduction contributions could be made for you to the plan for the year because of limits or restrictions, such as the regular annual limit.

For 2006, the additional amount is the lesser of the following two amounts.

  • $2,500, or

  • Your compensation for the year reduced by your other elective deferrals for the year.

For more information, see How Much Can Be Contributed on Your Behalf? in chapter 3.

Qualified Roth contribution programs. For tax years beginning after 2005, a qualified cash or deferred arrangement (section 401(k) plan) or a tax-sheltered annuity plan (section 403(b) plan) can create a qualified Roth contribution program so that participants can elect to have part or all of their elective deferrals to the plan designated as after-tax Roth contributions. For more information about 401(k) plans, see Publication 560, Retirement Plans for Small Business. For more information about 403(b) plans, see Publication 571, Tax-Sheltered Annuity Plans (403(b) Plans).

Rollovers from designated Roth accounts. If any part of an eligible rollover distribution is from a designated Roth account set up under an employee's qualified plan, you can roll over, tax free, that part of the distribution to another designated Roth account or to a Roth IRA.

Nontaxable combat pay. Beginning in 2004, you can treat nontaxable combat pay as compensation for purposes of the limits on contributions and the deduction of contributions to IRAs. You may be able to make additional contributions for 2004 or 2005. For more information, see Nontaxable combat pay under What Is Compensation? in chapter 1.

Qualified charitable distributions. If you were at least age 70½ and you had a distribution made by the trustee of your IRA directly to a charitable organization, it may be nontaxable. See Qualified charitable distributions under Are Distributions Taxable? in chapter 1.

Qualified reservist distributions. If you were a member of a reserve component and you were ordered or called to active duty after September 11, 2001, you may not have to pay the 10% tax on early distributions you received on or after the day you were ordered or called to active duty. See Qualified reservist distributions under Early Distributions in chapter 1.

Qualified reservist repayments. If you were a member of a reserve component and you were ordered or called to active duty after September 11, 2001, you may be able to repay certain early distributions even if the repayment would cause your total contributions to be more than the limit on contributions. See Qualified reservist repayments under How Much Can Be Contributed? in chapter 1.

Modified AGI limit for traditional IRA contributions increased. For 2007, if you are covered by a retirement plan at work, your deduction for contributions to a traditional IRA is reduced (phased out) if your modified adjusted gross income (AGI) is:

  • More than $83,000 but less than $103,000 for a married couple filing a joint return or a qualifying widow(er),

  • More than $52,000 but less than $62,000 for a single individual or head of household, or

  • Less than $10,000 for a married individual filing a separate return.

For 2007, if you are not covered by a retirement plan at work, your deduction for contributions to a traditional IRA may be reduced (phased out) if you either live with your spouse at any time during 2007 or file a joint return for 2007. If you either live with your spouse or file a joint return, and your spouse is covered by a retirement plan at work, but you are not, your deduction is phased out if your AGI is more than $156,000 but less than $166,000. If your AGI is $166,000 or more, you cannot take a deduction for contributions to a traditional IRA. See How Much Can You Deduct? in chapter 1.

Modified AGI limit for Roth IRA contributions increased. For 2007, your Roth IRA contribution limit is reduced (phased out) in the following situations.

  • Your filing status is married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er) and your modified AGI is at least $156,000. You cannot make a Roth IRA contribution if your modified AGI is $166,000 or more.

  • Your filing status is married filing separately, you lived with your spouse at any time during the year, and your modified AGI is more than -0-. You cannot make a Roth IRA contribution if your modified AGI is $10,000 or more.

  • Your filing situation is different than either of those described above and your modified AGI is at least $99,000. You cannot make a Roth IRA contribution if your modified AGI is $114,000 or more.

See Can You Contribute to a Roth IRA? in chapter 2.

Modified AGI limit for retirement savings contribution credit increased. For 2007, you may be able to claim the retirement savings contribution credit if your modified adjusted gross income (AGI) is not more than:

  • $52,000 if your filing status is married filing jointly,

  • $39,000 if your filing status is head of household, or

  • $26,000 if your filing status is single, married filing separately, or qualifying widow(er).

See Can you claim the credit? in chapter 5.

Rollover by nonspouse beneficiary. Beginning in 2007, a direct transfer from a deceased employee's IRA, qualified pension, profit-sharing or stock bonus plan, annuity plan, tax-sheltered annuity (section 403(b)) plan, or governmental deferred compensation (section 457) plan to an IRA set up to receive the distribution on your behalf can be treated as an eligible rollover distribution if you are the designated beneficiary of the plan and not the employee's spouse. The IRA is treated as an inherited IRA. For more information about rollovers, see Rollovers under Can You Move Retirement Plan Assets? in chapter 1.

Qualified health savings account (HSA) funding distribution. Beginning in 2007, if you are covered by a high deductible health plan (HDHP), you may be able to make a nontaxable HSA funding distribution from your IRA (other than a SEP or SIMPLE IRA) that would otherwise be included in income. The distribution must be a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer to an HSA. The distribution will be nontaxable to the extent it is not more than the limit on your annual HSA contributions. Generally, you can make only one nontaxable HSA funding distribution during your lifetime. However, if you change your HDHP coverage from self-only to family, you may be able to make an additional distribution during the same year. For more information, see Publication 553. For more information about HSAs, see Publication 969, Health Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Favored Health Plans.

Catch-up contributions in certain employer bankruptcies. For 2007, 2008, and 2009, you may be able to deduct catch-up contributions of up to $3,000 each year to your IRA. These contributions would be deductible only if you participated in a qualified cash or deferred arrangement (section 401(k) plan) of an employer who was a debtor in bankruptcy proceedings. See Catch-up contributions in certain employer bankruptcies under How Much Can Be Contributed? in chapter 1.

Simplified employee pension (SEP). SEP IRAs are not covered in this publication. They are covered in Publication 560, Retirement Plans for Small Business.

Deemed IRAs. A qualified employer plan (retirement plan) can maintain a separate account or annuity under the plan (a deemed IRA) to receive voluntary employee contributions. If the separate account or annuity otherwise meets the requirements of an IRA, it will be subject only to IRA rules. An employee's account can be treated as a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA. For this purpose, a “qualified employer plan” includes:

  • A qualified pension, profit-sharing, or stock bonus plan (section 401(a) plan),

  • A qualified employee annuity plan (section 403(a) plan),

  • A tax-sheltered annuity plan (section 403(b) plan), and

  • A deferred compensation plan (section 457 plan) maintained by a state, a political subdivision of a state, or an agency or instrumentality of a state or political subdivision of a state.

Statement of required minimum distribution. If a minimum distribution is required from your IRA, the trustee, custodian, or issuer that held the IRA at the end of the preceding year must either report the amount of the required minimum distribution to you, or offer to calculate it for you. The report or offer must include the date by which the amount must be distributed. The report is due January 31 of the year in which the minimum distribution is required. It can be provided with the year-end fair market value statement that you normally get each year. No report is required for section 403(b) contracts (generally tax-sheltered annuities) or for IRAs of owners who have died.

IRA interest. Although interest earned from your IRA is generally not taxed in the year earned, it is not tax-exempt interest. Do not report this interest on your return as tax-exempt interest.

Hurricane tax relief. Special rules apply to the use of retirement funds (including IRAs) by qualified individuals who suffered an economic loss as a result of Hurricane Katrina, Rita, or Wilma. See Hurricane-Related Relief in chapter 4 for information on these special rules.

Photographs of missing children. The Internal Revenue Service is a proud partner with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Photographs of missing children selected by the Center may appear in this publication on pages that would otherwise be blank. You can help bring these children home by looking at the photographs and calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) if you recognize a child.

This publication discusses individual retirement arrangements (IRAs). An IRA is a personal savings plan that gives you tax advantages for setting aside money for retirement.

What are some tax advantages of an IRA?   Two tax advantages of an IRA are that:
  • Contributions you make to an IRA may be fully or partially deductible, depending on which type of IRA you have and on your circumstances, and

  • Generally, amounts in your IRA (including earnings and gains) are not taxed until distributed. In some cases, amounts are not taxed at all if distributed according to the rules.

What's in this publication?   This publication discusses traditional, Roth, and SIMPLE IRAs. It explains the rules for:
  • Setting up an IRA,

  • Contributing to an IRA,

  • Transferring money or property to and from an IRA,

  • Handling an inherited IRA,

  • Receiving distributions (making withdrawals) from an IRA, and

  • Taking a credit for contributions to an IRA.

  It also explains the penalties and additional taxes that apply when the rules are not followed. To assist you in complying with the tax rules for IRAs, this publication contains worksheets, sample forms, and tables, which can be found throughout the publication and in the appendices at the back of the publication.

How to use this publication.   The rules that you must follow depend on which type of IRA you have. Use Table I-1 to help you determine which parts of this publication to read. Also use Table I-1 if you were referred to this publication from instructions to a form.

Comments and suggestions.   We welcome your comments about this publication and your suggestions for future editions.

  You can write to us at the following address:


Internal Revenue Service
Individual Forms and Publications Branch
SE:W:CAR:MP:T:I
1111 Constitution Ave. NW, IR-6406
Washington, DC 20224

  We respond to many letters by telephone. Therefore, it would be helpful if you would include your daytime phone number, including the area code, in your correspondence.

  You can email us at *taxforms@irs.gov. (The asterisk must be included in the address.) Please put “Publications Comment” on the subject line. Although we cannot respond individually to each email, we do appreciate your feedback and will consider your comments as we revise our tax products.

Ordering forms and publications.   Visit
www.irs.gov/formspubs to download forms and publications, call 1-800-829-3676, or write to the address below and receive a response within 10 business days after your request is received.


National Distribution Center
P.O. Box 8903
Bloomington, IL 61702-8903

Tax questions.   If you have a tax question, visit
www.irs.gov or call 1-800-829-1040. We cannot answer tax questions sent to either of the above addresses.

Table I-1. Using This Publication

IF you need
information on ...
THEN see ...
traditional IRAs chapter 1.
Roth IRAs chapter 2, and parts of
chapter 1.
SIMPLE IRAs chapter 3.
hurricane-related relief chapter 4.
the credit for qualified retirement savings contributions chapter 5.
how to keep a record of your contributions to, and distributions from, your traditional IRA(s) appendix A.
SEP IRAs and 401(k) plans Publication 560.
Coverdell education savings accounts (formerly called education IRAs) Publication 970.
   
IF for 2006, you
  • received social security benefits,

  • had taxable compensation,

  • contributed to a traditional IRA, and

  • you or your spouse was covered by an employer retirement plan,

and you want to...
THEN see ...
first figure your modified adjusted gross income (AGI) appendix B worksheet 1.
then figure how much of your traditional IRA contribution you can deduct appendix B worksheet 2.
and finally figure how much of your social security is taxable appendix B worksheet 3.

Publications

  • 560 Retirement Plans for Small Business (SEP, SIMPLE, and Qualified Plans)

  • 571 Tax-Sheltered Annuity Plans (403(b) Plans)

  • 575 Pension and Annuity Income

  • 939 General Rule for Pensions and Annuities

Forms (and instructions)

  • W-4P
    Withholding Certificate for Pension or Annuity Payments

  • 1099-R
    Distributions From Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit-Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance Contracts, etc.

  • 5304-SIMPLE
    Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees of Small Employers (SIMPLE)-Not for Use With a Designated Financial Institution

  • 5305-S
    SIMPLE Individual Retirement Trust Account

  • 5305-SA
    SIMPLE Individual Retirement Custodial Account

  • 5305-SIMPLE
    Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees of Small Employers (SIMPLE)-for Use With a Designated Financial Institution

  • 5329
    Additional Taxes on Qualified Plans (Including IRAs) and Other Tax-Favored Accounts

  • 5498
    IRA Contribution Information

  • 8606
    Nondeductible IRAs

  • 8815
    Exclusion of Interest From Series EE and I U.S. Savings Bonds Issued After 1989

  • 8839
    Qualified Adoption Expenses

  • 8880
    Credit for Qualified Retirement Savings Contributions

See chapter 6 for information about getting these publications and forms.

Table I-2. How Are a Traditional IRA and a Roth IRA Different? This table shows the differences between traditional and Roth IRAs. Answers in the middle column apply to traditional IRAs. Answers in the right column apply to Roth IRAs.

Question Answer
  Traditional IRA? Roth IRA?
Is there an age limit on when I can set up and contribute to a Yes. You must not have reached age 70½ by the end of the year. See Who Can Set Up a Traditional IRA? in chapter 1. No. You can be any age. See Can You Contribute to a Roth IRA? in chapter 2.
If I earned more than $4,000 in 2006 ($5,000 if I was 50 or older by the end of 2006), is there a limit on how much I can contribute to a Yes. For 2006, you can contribute to a traditional IRA up to:
  • $4,000, or

  • $5,000 if you were age 50 or older by the end of 2006.


There is no upper limit on how much you can earn and still contribute. See How Much Can Be Contributed? in chapter 1.
Yes. For 2006, you may be able to contribute to a Roth IRA up to:
  • $4,000, or

  • $5,000 if you were age 50 or older by the end of 2006,


but the amount you can contribute may be less than that depending on your income, filing status, and if you contribute to another IRA. See How Much Can Be Contributed? and Table 2-1 in chapter 2.
Can I deduct contributions to a Yes. You may be able to deduct your contributions to a traditional IRA depending on your income, filing status, whether you are covered by a retirement plan at work, and whether you receive social security benefits. See How Much Can You Deduct? in chapter 1. No. You can never deduct contributions to a Roth IRA. See What Is a Roth IRA? in chapter 2.
Do I have to file a form just because I contribute to a Not unless you make nondeductible contributions to your traditional IRA. In that case, you must file Form 8606. See Nondeductible Contributions in chapter 1. No. You do not have to file a form if you contribute to a Roth IRA. See Introduction in chapter 2.
Do I have to start taking distributions when I reach a certain age from a Yes. You must begin receiving required minimum distributions by April 1 of the year following the year you reach age 701/. See When Must You Withdraw Assets? (Required Minimum Distributions) in chapter 1. No. If you are the owner of a Roth IRA, you do not have to take distributions regardless of your age. See Are Distributions Taxable? in chapter 2.
How are distributions taxed from a Distributions from a traditional IRA are taxed as ordinary income, but if you made nondeductible contributions, not all of the distribution is taxable. See Are Distributions Taxable? in chapter 1. Distributions from a Roth IRA are not taxed as long as you meet certain criteria. See Are Distributions Taxable? in chapter 2.
Do I have to file a form just because I receive distributions from a Not unless you have ever made a nondeductible contribution to a traditional IRA. If you have, file Form 8606. Yes. File Form 8606 if you received distributions from a Roth IRA (other than a rollover, recharacterization, certain qualified distributions, or a return of certain contributions).

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