Is new IRA a contribution?

[Guest tyke]

I'm very new at this so please pardon my ignorance. I have a Roth IRA and I know my maximum contribution per year is $2000 (single/<$95,000.) If I want to OPEN another Roth IRA with $2000, does that mean I can't add to my existing Roth IRA the same year? In other words, is the $2000 I use to OPEN the 2nd IRA considered a contribution? I'm guessing that it is, but I need to find out for sure. Thanks much.

[Michael Devault]

Yes, it is. Aggregate contributions to a Roth IRA are limited to $2,000 per year, regardless of the number of actual accounts you have. If you open a new account and place $2,000 in it, you cannot contribute to any other existing account.

[John G]

Limit is $2,000 per year per person as long as they qualify by earned income and maximum allowed income. BUT, you can deposit $2,000 for the year 2000 and make a contribution for the year 2001 as well if you qualify for both years.

You don't need to open a new account for each contribution. Funds can be added to the first IRA, just make sure the custodian records the proper tax year.