by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA
A woman approached me after maternity yoga last night. My husband is stoked about this child, she told me, and when my maternity leave is up, he would like to be a stay-at-home dad for a couple of years. I already know this means he won’t be able to keep contributing toward his 401(k), but is there another way for him to keep up his retirement savings?
A smart question, and she should really give herself a pat on the shoulder for planning ahead. And yes, provided that she makes enough money and that they file a joint tax return, he can contribute toward a traditional or Roth IRA (income limits apply for Roth IRAs). Even if her employer does provide a retirement plan, she may also be able to contribute toward a traditional IRA (or a Roth, as long as her income is below certain limits).
Putting her and her husband’s case into numbers, they are each eligible to contribute $5,000 toward a traditional IRA in 2009 ($6,000 if they are over 50), as long as she makes enough money to cover the contributions. If they prefer Roth IRAs, their joint adjusted gross income must be less than $176,000 (phase-out between $166,000 and $176,000).
Clear as mud, isn’t it?
