text: can i invest in my roth ira this year if i dont have any earned income?   no, you can't, both of the previous answers were completely incorrect, and if you listen to them you will get in trouble with the irs.  to invest in a roth ira, like any ira, you need to have earned income in at least the amount you want to invest.  thus if you want to put $1000, you have to have earned at least $1000.  if you want to max it out, you have to have earned at least $4000.  the lone exception here is the spousal ira rule.  you don't have to show any earned income if your spouse made at least as much to cover both of you.  so if you both want to max it out, and you show no income, your spouse would have to have shown at least $8000.  as far as the upper income limits, if you're a single filer, you can do the full $4000 if you make $90,000 or less (adjusted gross icnome).  from $90,000 to $110,000 is a phase-out range.  if you make over $110,000, you can no longer do the roth.  hopefully your company will allow you a roth 401(k) in this case.  if you're married and filing jointly, your combined agi must be $150,000 or less.  from $150,000 to $160,000 is the phase-out range, and over $160,000 is likewise excluded.  hope this helps! --j.