Who Cannot Claim the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit (Saver's Credit)?

You cannot claim the Saver's Credit if any of the following apply.

Income Is Above the Limit

For the 2026 tax year, you cannot claim the credit if your adjusted gross income (AGI) exceeds:

If your AGI is above the limit for your filing status, you aren't eligible for the credit, even if you made retirement contributions.

You Were Under Age 18

You cannot claim the Saver's Credit if the person who made the retirement contributions:

• Was born after January 1, 2007 (for the 2025 tax year), or
• Was under age 18 at the end of the tax year.

You Were a Full-Time Student

You cannot claim the credit if you were considered a student during the tax year.

Who Is Considered a Student?

You are considered a student if, during any part of five calendar months during the year, you either:

• Were enrolled as a full-time student at a school, or
• Participated in a full-time, on-farm training course provided by a school or a state, county, or local government agency.

What Counts as a School?

A school includes:

• High schools
• Colleges and universities
• Technical schools
• Trade schools
• Mechanical schools

A school does not include:

• On-the-job training courses
• Correspondence schools
• Schools offering exclusively online courses

You Were Claimed as a Dependent

You cannot claim the Saver's Credit if another taxpayer can claim you as a dependent on their tax return.

This rule applies even if you made qualifying retirement contributions yourself.

What Retirement Contributions May Qualify?

If you meet all eligibility requirements, qualifying contributions may include:

• Traditional IRA contributions
• Roth IRA contributions
• 401(k) contributions
• 403(b) contributions
• Governmental 457(b) plan contributions
• SIMPLE IRA contributions
• SEP plan contributions
• Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) contributions
• Certain contributions to a 501(c)(18)(D) plan

How the Credit Is Calculated

The credit is based on:

• Your filing status
• Your adjusted gross income (AGI)
• The amount you contributed to eligible retirement accounts

Depending on your income, the credit may equal 10%, 20%, or 50% of your qualifying contributions.

No Additional Forms Needed

There's no need to calculate the Saver's Credit manually.

When you enter your retirement contributions into your return, our software will:

• Determine whether you're eligible
• Calculate the correct credit amount
• Complete Form 8880 automatically if required
• Apply the credit to your return

Additional Information