When do I need to make my retirement contribution?

Traditional and Roth IRAs
You can make a contribution to a traditional individual retirement arrangement, or IRA, anytime up to and including the due date for your tax return. That means you have until April 17, 2018, to put money in your IRA and still count it as a contribution for 2017. This IRA rule holds true whether your contributions are deductible or nondeductible.

For Roth IRAs, the deadline is also April 17, 2018, for 2017 contributions.

If you file a tax extension, you don't get any extra time to make your traditional or Roth IRA contribution.

SEP IRAs
You can set up a simplified employee plan, or SEP, and make matching and nonelective contributions until the deadline of your business income tax return, including extensions. This is true for self-employed SEPs and employee SEPs.

SIMPLE IRAs
You must set up a savings incentive match plan for employees, or SIMPLE IRA, by Oct. 1 of the year to which a contribution applies. For example, to make a contribution for 2017, you must have set up the plan set up by Oct. 1 of that year.

However, you have until your business income tax return due date, including extensions, to fund a SIMPLE IRA.

401(k) plans and 403(b) plans A 401(k) or 403(b) plan must be set up by Dec. 31 of the year for which you make a contribution. This is also true for one-participant 401(k) plans used for self-employed individuals.

The employer has until the business income tax return due date, including extensions, to make employer contributions.

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