There is no age requirement to open a Roth IRA under federal tax law. A 12-year-old with babysitting income and an 80-year-old consultant can both contribute, as long as they have earned income for the year and their income falls below the phase-out thresholds. The one practical wrinkle: anyone under 18 needs an adult to open and manage a custodial version of the account until they reach the age of majority in their state.
No Minimum Age, But Minors Need a Custodial Account
Section 408A of the Internal Revenue Code sets eligibility for Roth IRA contributions based on income, not age.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 408A – Roth IRAs The IRS confirms that contributions can be made at any age as long as the account holder (or their spouse, if filing jointly) has taxable compensation.2Internal Revenue Service. Traditional and Roth IRAs
The barrier for children is contract law, not tax law. Because minors generally cannot enter into binding financial agreements, a parent or other adult opens the account as custodian and manages it on the child’s behalf. The account is held in the child’s name and reported under the child’s Social Security number, but the adult makes the investment decisions and handles deposits until the child is old enough to take control.
Earned Income Is the Real Requirement
The true gatekeeper at any age is earned income. The IRS defines this as taxable compensation received for work — wages, salaries, tips, commissions, professional fees, and net self-employment earnings.3Internal Revenue Service. Publication 590-A – Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements Interest, dividends, rental income, and allowances do not count.
For a young child or teenager, self-employment income from work like babysitting, lawn mowing, tutoring, or freelance jobs qualifies even when no W-2 or 1099 is issued. Good records matter. Keep track of the type of work, dates, who paid, and how much was received. Those records serve as proof of earned income if the IRS ever asks.
One useful detail for parents and grandparents: the child has to be the one earning the money, but anyone can put up the cash for the actual contribution. If a teenager earned $3,000 over the summer and spent it, a parent can deposit $3,000 into the child’s Roth IRA on their behalf. The IRS allows this as long as the contribution does not exceed the child’s earned income for the year.4Internal Revenue Service. Retirement Topics – IRA Contribution Limits
Contribution and Income Limits
For the 2026 tax year, the maximum contribution across all traditional and Roth IRAs combined is $7,500 for anyone under age 50. Contributors age 50 or older can add another $1,100 in catch-up contributions, for a total of $8,600.5Internal Revenue Service. 401(k) Limit Increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA Limit Increases to $7,500
A hard ceiling sits on top of those dollar limits: the contribution can never exceed the account holder’s actual earned income for the year. A teenager who earned $2,500 can contribute $2,500, not $7,500.4Internal Revenue Service. Retirement Topics – IRA Contribution Limits Contributions for a given tax year can be made up to the tax-filing deadline, typically April 15 of the following year. A filing extension does not extend the contribution deadline.2Internal Revenue Service. Traditional and Roth IRAs
Even with earned income, the ability to contribute directly phases out at higher incomes. For 2026, the modified adjusted gross income ranges are:5Internal Revenue Service. 401(k) Limit Increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA Limit Increases to $7,500
- Single or head of household: full contribution below $153,000, reduced between $153,000 and $168,000, none above $168,000.
- Married filing jointly: full contribution below $242,000, reduced between $242,000 and $252,000, none above $252,000.
- Married filing separately (if you lived with your spouse): reduced or eliminated across a narrow $0 to $10,000 range.
Most children and young adults earn well below these thresholds, so income limits rarely affect a custodial account. They matter more for higher-earning parents contributing to their own Roth IRAs.
No Maximum Age, Either
Roth IRAs have never had a maximum age for contributions. Anyone with earned income and MAGI below the phase-out ceiling can contribute at 15 or at 85.2Internal Revenue Service. Traditional and Roth IRAs Roth IRAs also have no required minimum distributions during the account holder’s lifetime, which makes them useful for older savers who want to leave money to heirs.
How to Open a Custodial Roth IRA
A custodial Roth IRA works like a standard Roth IRA in every tax respect. The only difference is that an adult manages it until the child is old enough to take control. Not every brokerage offers custodial Roth IRAs, so it is worth checking availability before starting. Several major firms offer them with no account fees or minimum deposits.
To open the account, the custodian (usually a parent or guardian) provides the child’s legal name, Social Security number, and date of birth, along with the custodian’s own name, Social Security number, and address. The application is typically online. The applicant selects a custodial Roth IRA, enters both parties’ information, and links a bank account for funding. Approval usually comes within one to three business days.
Naming a successor custodian is a sensible step. That person can step in to manage the account if the primary custodian becomes unable to serve, preventing any gap in oversight.
When the Child Takes Over
The custodial arrangement ends when the child reaches the age of majority under state law. The age varies, typically falling between 18 and 21, and some states allow the custodian to specify a later transfer age under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act.
The handoff has no tax consequences. The account converts from a custodial Roth IRA to a standard Roth IRA in the now-adult’s name. Contribution dates and the five-year holding period carry over, so the clock does not reset.
Getting the Money Out Later
One reason a Roth IRA works well for a young person is the flexibility on withdrawals. Distributions follow an ordering rule: contributions come out first, then any converted amounts, then earnings.6Internal Revenue Service. Publication 590-B – Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements Because contributions were made with after-tax dollars, they can be withdrawn at any time, at any age, without tax or penalty.
Earnings are treated differently. To pull earnings out completely tax-free, the distribution has to be qualified, which requires two things. First, at least five tax years must have passed since January 1 of the year of the first Roth IRA contribution.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 408A – Roth IRAs Second, the account holder must be at least 59½, permanently disabled, taking the distribution as a beneficiary after the account holder’s death, or using up to $10,000 for a first-time home purchase.6Internal Revenue Service. Publication 590-B – Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements
Withdrawing earnings before meeting both conditions generally means paying income tax on that portion plus a 10% early withdrawal penalty. For a child whose Roth IRA opens at age 10, the five-year clock starts immediately, and the holding requirement is satisfied by 15. By the time that child reaches 59½, the entire account, contributions and decades of growth, can come out tax-free.