2026 IRA Deadlines

Financially, many of us associate the spring with taxes—but we should also associate December with important Individual Retirement Account (IRA) deadlines. This year, like 2025, will see a few changes and distinctions.

Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)

The deadline to take your Required Minimum Distribution from traditional IRAs is December 31, 2026.  

Annual Contributions

The deadline for making 2026 annual contributions to a traditional IRA, Roth IRA, and certain other retirement accounts is April 15, 2027.

Some people may not realize when they can make their IRA contribution. You can make a yearly IRA contribution between January 1 of the current year and April 15 of the next year. Accordingly, you can make your IRA contribution for 2026 any time from January 1, 2026, to April 15, 2027.

If you make a 2026 IRA contribution in early 2027, you must tell us or the investment company hosting the IRA account for which year you are contributing. If you fail to indicate the tax year that the contribution applies to, the custodian firm may make a default assumption that the contribution is for the current year (and note exactly that to the IRS).

So, write “2026 IRA contribution” or “2027 IRA contribution,” as applicable, plainly and simply in the memo area of your check. Be sure to write your account number on the check. If you make your contribution electronically, double-check that these details are present.