With all of the hubbub around the holiday season you probably missed a nice gift you received from Uncle Sam. And, like the forgetful uncle that he is, he forgot to give it to you until January, but as they say, it’s the thought that counts.

So, what present am I talking about? Why, the $500 increase in IRA and 401k contribution limits of course!

Contribution Limits for 2019

For 2019 the maximum you can contribute to an IRA has increased to $6,000, up from $5,500 last year ($7,000 for individuals 50 or older). And for a 401k the maximum employer contribution increased to $19,000 up from $18,500 (this also applies to 403b, most 457 plans and the governments Thrift Savings Plan). Individuals 50 or older contributing to these plans (401k, 403b, 457, TSP) can still contribute an additional $6,000.

What also increased were the income limits for the phaseout of when you can and can’t contribute to IRAs and Roths. You can find the full rundown of the changes on the IRS’s website here: IRA increases contribution limits for 2019.

But don’t forget about 2018

You also still have the option to contribute to your IRA or Roth for 2018. You can contribute right up to April 15. So, if you haven’t yet contributed this year you still have time to sock away up to $5,500 ($6,500 if your 50 or older) into your IRA and count it against 2018’s taxes.

If your income is above the Roth contribution limits, you are unfortunately too late to enact a backdoor Roth contribution for 2018 since you had to complete those by Dec 31 2018. Maybe a financial planner could have helped make sure your financial tasks were completed on time wink, wink?

What is the impact of that extra $500?

You may yawn and think, “big whoop, an extra $500, what will that get me?” Well I’m glad you asked. Even though it might not seem like much, given it’s only an extra $41.67 a month. Depending on your investing time frame that $500 could add up to a serious bump in your portfolio over time.

If We assume 7% growth within a tax advantaged account, after 10 years you would have an additional $6973. After 20 years it would be $20,624 and after 30 that would grow to $47,479. All from contributing just an extra $500 a year.

Upping your contribution

Now is the perfect time to increase your contribution for 2019 or make one for 2018. If you’re a W-2 employee you should receive your copy in the mail any day now.  By comparing your earned income in box 1 of your W-2 to the income limits at the link mentioned above you can figure out if you qualify to contribute to an IRA, Roth, or both. And if you plan to earn the same amount for 2019 this will help you decide where to contribute for the coming year as well.

Another decision to make is when to make your 2019 contributions: in one $6,000 chunk or by dollar cost averaging with an automatic monthly contribution.

The upside with automatic monthly investments is that you don’t have the worry about contributing $6,000 in one chunk then watching the market drop the next day. The downside is if the market decides to move steadily upward throughout the year, the impact of your monthly contribution is reduced each month.

Historically the stock market finishes the year higher than where it started about ¾ of the time. Given this info you are likely better off making the lump sum contribution at the start of the year. But if it helps you to sleep at night by making the monthly contributions then go that route. We humans tend to feel the pain of loss much more acutely than the joy from a gain.If you are in Boise or beyond and would like to talk with a fee-only advisor about your IRA or 401k funding questions, or anything other questions you might have, give us a call. We are happy to help.