Roth IRA for non-working spouse?

[JJ]

I read a small article about a Roth IRA for a non-working spouse. In
summary, it said you can contribute the $5000 max for your non-working
spouse if:
I have income of more than $10,000 ($5k for each of us) and our AGI is below
$150,000.
Am I reading that correct?
We haven't been able to contribute for a number of years because we both
worked and our income was too high, but she now retired. However, we were
able to open Roths for the first 5 years they were in existence, can this
contribution co-mingle with the old Roth money or do I need to keep it
separate?

Thanks,
Joe

 

[Phil Marti]

I read a small article about a Roth IRA for a non-working spouse. In
summary, it said you can contribute the $5000 max for your non-working
spouse if:
I have income of more than $10,000 ($5k for each of us) and our AGI is
below $150,000.
Am I reading that correct?

Yes, assuming you're both over 50 and you're talking about "earned" income,
such as wages. Under 50 the 2007 limit is $4,000 each. In 2008 the base
limit goes to $5,000, with an additional $1,000 available to those over 50.

We haven't been able to contribute for a number of years because we both
worked and our income was too high, but she now retired. However, we were
able to open Roths for the first 5 years they were in existence, can this
contribution co-mingle with the old Roth money or do I need to keep it
separate?

No need to segregate, and there's also no separate 5 year period before
distributions become "qualified." Information about all this is in IRS
Publication 590.