'For American Tower employees, marriage is an important opportunity to review retirement accounts, beneficiary designations, and long-term financial goals, and coordinating with qualified tax and legal professionals while working with  Paul Bergeron, a representative of The Retirement Group, a division of Wealth Enhancement Group , can help keep your retirement planning aligned with changing life circumstances.' —  Paul Bergeron, a representative of The Retirement Group, a division of Wealth Enhancement Group.

'For American Tower employees, major life events such as marriage underscore the importance of regularly reviewing retirement account beneficiary designations, contribution eligibility, and employer plan rules while coordinating with qualified financial, tax, and legal professionals to help keep long-term retirement strategies aligned with changing circumstances.' — Tyson Mavar, a representative of The Retirement Group, a division of Wealth Enhancement Group.

In this article we will discuss:

1. How marriage can affect your IRA and 401(k), including Roth IRA eligibility, traditional IRA deduction rules, and spousal IRA contributions.

2. Why updating beneficiary designations, tax filing status, and retirement account information after marriage is an important part of retirement planning.

3. Key action steps American Tower employees can take to help keep their retirement strategy aligned with IRS rules following marriage.

Marriage is a significant life event that brings both new financial opportunities and responsibilities. If you are a American Tower employee who recently married or plan to get married, it's important to understand how your IRA and 401(k) accounts may be affected. Knowing these rules—from updating beneficiaries to changes in contribution limits and tax filing status—can help you make informed retirement planning decisions and reduce the chance of unnecessary mistakes.

When Does Your Marriage Count for Tax Purposes?

If you are married on December 31, the IRS treats you as married for the entire tax year for federal income tax purposes. For example, if you marry on December 31, your tax filing status for that year is considered married. Depending on your circumstances, you will generally file either Married Filing Jointly or Married Filing Separately. 

If you work for a American Tower company, be sure to notify your tax preparer of your new marital status. Your filing status can affect eligibility for certain tax benefits, deductions, and Roth IRA contributions.

How Marriage Can Affect Roth IRA Contributions

Marriage can impact your ability to contribute directly to a Roth IRA because eligibility depends on your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) and tax filing status.

For example, suppose your MAGI was $50,000 and you made an eligible Roth IRA contribution on January 1 while you were unmarried. If you are married by December 31 and your combined MAGI is $500,000, you would no longer qualify to make a direct Roth IRA contribution because the 2025 MAGI phaseout range for married couples filing jointly is $236,000 to $246,000.

Work with your tax advisor to determine whether excess contributions should be removed or recharacterized if your MAGI exceeds the allowable limit. Excess IRA contributions that are not properly corrected may be subject to a 6% annual excise tax.

If your income exceeds the direct Roth IRA limits, ask your tax advisor whether a backdoor Roth contribution strategy may be appropriate.

Roth IRA Income Phaseout Ranges for 2025

• - Married Filing Jointly or Qualifying Surviving Spouse: $236,000–$246,000

• - Single, Head of Household, or Married Filing Separately (did not live with spouse during the year): $150,000–$165,000

• - Married Filing Separately (lived with spouse during the year): $0–$10,000

These income limits are indexed for inflation and may increase in future years.

Example

Dana earns $120,000 while Chris earns $140,000. Each qualified to contribute the maximum amount to a Roth IRA while single. After marrying, their combined MAGI of $260,000 exceeds the 2025 income limit for married couples filing jointly, making them ineligible to make direct Roth IRA contributions.

Traditional IRA Contribution Deduction Rules

If neither spouse participates in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, traditional IRA contributions are generally fully deductible regardless of income.

If one or both spouses participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, income limits apply.

Traditional IRA Deduction Phaseout Ranges for 2025

• - Married Filing Jointly or Qualifying Surviving Spouse (covered by an employer plan): $126,000–$146,000

• - Single or Head of Household (covered by an employer plan): $79,000–$89,000

• - Married Filing Separately (covered by an employer plan): $0–$10,000

• - Married Filing Jointly when one spouse is not covered by an employer plan but the other spouse is: $236,000–$246,000

No deduction is available once income reaches or exceeds the top of the applicable phaseout range.

Example

Dana is not covered by a workplace retirement plan, while Chris participates in a company 401(k). Their combined MAGI is $140,000.

Chris may qualify for a partial deduction because he participates in an employer retirement plan and their income falls within the applicable phaseout range.

Dana may deduct her full traditional IRA contribution because she is not covered by an employer-sponsored retirement plan and their income is below the applicable phaseout range for a noncovered spouse.

Spousal IRA Contributions

IRA contributions generally require earned income. However, if you are married and file a joint tax return, a working spouse's earned income may allow both spouses to contribute to their own IRAs, provided all IRS requirements are met.

Each IRA must be established and maintained under the individual owner's name and Social Security number. Joint IRAs are not permitted. Even if one spouse provides the funding, the IRA owner retains complete control over investments, withdrawals, and beneficiary designations.

Example

Dana has no earned income because she is attending graduate school full time. Chris earns $140,000. By filing a joint tax return and meeting IRS eligibility requirements, Chris's earned income allows both spouses to contribute to separate IRAs for 2025.

Employer Retirement Plans and Beneficiary Designations

Marriage can also affect beneficiary designations.

For employer-sponsored retirement plans—including 401(k) plans, pension plans, profit-sharing plans, and ERISA-covered 403(b) plans—your spouse is generally required to be the primary beneficiary unless your spouse provides written consent, witnessed by either a plan representative or a notary public, allowing you to name someone else.

IRAs and non-ERISA 403(b) plans are generally not subject to ERISA spousal beneficiary rules, allowing you to name another beneficiary. However, community property laws or similar state laws may give a spouse rights to part of the account. If you have questions about your state's requirements, consult an attorney.

American Tower employees should review and update beneficiary designations after marriage to help reduce the possibility of future disputes.

Administrative Steps and Name Changes

If you change your name after getting married, notify the Social Security Administration before updating your financial institutions. 

When updating retirement accounts, verify that only your name has changed. Incorrect account registration changes can create administrative issues that may result in recordkeeping or tax complications.

Beyond Your Retirement Accounts

After getting married, consider:

• - Updating Form W-4 with your employer if your tax withholding should change. 

• - Reviewing beneficiary designations and life insurance coverage.

• - Meeting with an estate planning attorney to create or update a will and durable power of attorney.

• - Evaluating whether adding your spouse to an employer-sponsored health insurance plan is appropriate.

How The Retirement Group Can Help American Tower Employees

Combining two financial lives often involves reviewing retirement accounts, beneficiary designations, contribution strategies, and long-term retirement goals. The Retirement Group works with American Tower employees to discuss how major life events such as marriage may affect retirement planning. While coordinating with your tax and legal professionals, The Retirement Group can help you review your retirement strategy and discuss planning considerations. To learn more, call The Retirement Group at (800) 900-5867.

Marriage and Your Retirement Planning

Marriage often combines two financial lives into one. Because retirement accounts may become an important source of retirement income, they should remain a central part of your retirement planning strategy. After marriage, your tax filing status, IRA contribution eligibility, and workplace retirement plan beneficiary rules may all change.

By reviewing your retirement accounts, updating beneficiaries, coordinating financial goals, and properly handling administrative changes such as name updates, you can help keep your retirement planning on track.

Key Takeaways

• - If you are married on December 31, the IRS considers you married for the entire tax year.

• - Marriage may affect your ability to make direct Roth IRA contributions or deduct traditional IRA contributions.

• - A spousal IRA allows an eligible nonworking spouse to contribute to an IRA using the working spouse's earned income when filing jointly.

• - Employer-sponsored retirement plans generally require your spouse to be the primary beneficiary unless proper written consent is provided.

• - IRAs generally are not subject to ERISA spousal beneficiary rules, although state laws may affect beneficiary rights.

• - Notify the Social Security Administration before updating financial accounts after a name change.

• - Review tax withholding, insurance coverage, estate planning documents, and beneficiary designations after getting married.

Action Steps

• • - Inform your tax preparer of your marriage.

  • - Review the IRA contribution limits and income phaseout ranges that apply to your filing status.

  • - Ask your tax advisor how to correct excess Roth IRA contributions if your income exceeds the allowable limits.

  • - Update beneficiary designations for employer-sponsored retirement plans and obtain any required spousal consent.

  • - Review your state's laws if you intend to name someone other than your spouse as the beneficiary of your IRA.

  • - Update your Social Security records, financial institutions, and Form W-4 if your name or tax withholding changes.

Sources:

1. Internal Revenue Service.  Publication 590-A: Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) . U.S. Department of the Treasury, 2025,  https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590a .

2. Internal Revenue Service.  Publication 17: Your Federal Income Tax . U.S. Department of the Treasury, 2025,  https://www.irs.gov/publications/p17 .

3. Internal Revenue Service.  Publication 590-B: Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) . U.S. Department of the Treasury, 2025,  https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590b .

4. Chen, James. “How Getting Married Affects Your Roth IRA.”  Investopedia , Dotdash Meredith, 2023,  https://www.investopedia.com/married-roth-ira-5220933 .

5. Kiplinger Editorial Staff. “Roth IRA Contribution Limits and Backdoor Roth Strategies (2026 Update).”  Kiplinger , 2026,  https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/roth-ira-limits .