Roth IRA Income Ceiling Still Leaves High Earners Behind

The Roth IRA full-contribution threshold for single filers rises to $153,000 in 2026 from $150,000 in 2025. Real wage growth in high-cost metros has pushed younger finance, law, and technology professionals above these limits. The phaseout range has never kept pace with earnings growth in the upper-middle tier. Backdoor Roth conversions remain a workaround, though the broader structural mismatch persists.