If you’re preparing to file your 2023 tax return and expecting a tax bill, you may still be able to lower it — or even claim a refund. If you qualify, you can make a deductible contribution to a traditional IRA right up until the original filing deadline, April 15, 2024, and see tax savings on your 2023 return.

For eligible taxpayers, the 2023 contribution limit has increased to $6,500, or $7,500 for taxpayers aged 50 and up. If you’re a small business owner, you can establish and contribute to a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plan up to the extended due date of your return. The maximum SEP contribution you can make for 2023 is $66,000.

What Determines Eligibility?

To make a deductible contribution to a traditional IRA, you (and your spouse) must not be active participants in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, unless your 2023 modified adjusted gross income falls within these limits:

• For single taxpayers covered by a workplace plan, the income phaseout range is $73,000 to $83,000.
• For a married couple filing jointly, where the spouse making IRA contributions is covered by a workplace plan, the income phaseout range is $116,000 to $136,000. If the spouse making the IRA contributions isn’t covered by a workplace plan but his or her spouse is, the phase-out range is $218,000 to $228,000.
• For a married individual, filing separately, with you or your spouse covered by a workplace plan, the phaseout range is $0 to $10,000.

For more information on how to reduce your 2023 tax bill or to obtain assistance with your filing needs, our tax pros are here to assist.