You＊re covered by an employer retirement plan for a tax year if your employer (or your spouse＊s employer) has a:
- Defined contribution plan (profit-sharing, 401(k), stock bonus and money purchase pension plan) and any contributions or forfeitures were allocated to your account for the plan year ending with or within the tax year;
- IRA-based plan (SEP, SARSEP or SIMPLE IRA plan) and you had an amount contributed to your IRA for the plan year that ends with or within the tax year; or
- Defined benefit plan (pension plan that pays a retirement benefit spelled out in the plan) and you are eligible to participate for the plan year ending with or within the tax year.
Box 13 on the Form W-2 PDF you receive from your employer should contain a check in the ※Retirement plan§ box if you are covered. If you are still not certain, check with your (or your spouse＊s) employer.
The limits on the amount you can deduct don＊t affect the amount you can contribute. However, you can never deduct more than you actually contribute.