K-1 Visa Retirement Options in 2025: IRA and 401(k) Eligibility

Arriving in the United States 🇺🇸 on a fiancé(e) visa can feel like life is moving fast: you have 90 days to marry, then you start the adjustment of status process, and many couples are also trying to set up work, banking, and long-term savings at the same time. For K-1 visa holders, retirement saving is often possible sooner than people think, but only if you line up the right steps in the right order: lawful work authorization first, then earned income, then retirement contributions that fit the 2025 IRA limits and workplace plan rules.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the main change for 2025 isn’t that K-1 visa holders lost access to retirement accounts—they didn’t. The change is that IRS contribution caps rose, and SECURE 2.0 provisions are reshaping catch-up contributions and Roth planning in the next two years. The practical message is simple: if you’ll have U.S. taxable wages, you may be able to save in an IRA or 401(k), and the earlier you start after you get work authorization, the more options you keep open.

The real starting line: marriage, then work authorization, then earned income

A K-1 visa by itself does not allow you to work. That detail matters because IRA and 401(k) contributions depend on earned income. After marriage, most couples file for adjustment of status and apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) using Form I-765. Filing early helps because it unlocks the legal paycheck that makes retirement saving possible.

Use the official USCIS page for Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization to confirm current filing details and instructions.

The source material points to USCIS timing data in two ways:

• USCIS processing for work authorization hit 90-day medians in Q3 2025.
• Another reference describes EAD issuance as 3–5 months median in Q4 2025.

Both show the same planning problem: there is usually a gap between marriage and your first authorized paycheck. During that gap, you can prepare (choose a provider, learn the rules, budget), but you typically can’t contribute because you don’t yet have legal earned income.

Stage-by-stage timeline from arrival to your first retirement contribution

Here’s a realistic “process map” many couples follow, with what you do and what the government or employers do next.

1. Entry on K-1 and marriage within 90 days
   • Your action: marry the U.S. citizen petitioner within the K-1 window.
   • What to expect: you may still be waiting to fully “start life” (job, benefits) until you can work.
2. File adjustment package and Form I-765 soon after marriage
   • Your action: prepare filings carefully and keep copies of everything.
   • What to expect from USCIS: EAD processing that, per the source material, often falls around the Q3/Q4 2025 median timeframes noted above.
3. Get an SSN or ITIN (needed for IRAs)
   • Your action: secure your Social Security Number (SSN) if eligible, or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) if you need it.
   • What to expect: you’ll need the number to open most financial accounts and to report taxes correctly.
4. Start lawful work and enroll in workplace benefits
   • Your action: once your EAD arrives, you can work and begin retirement contributions through payroll if your employer offers a plan.
   • What to expect from employers: many 401(k) plans allow entry right away, but some have waiting periods of 0–12 months.
5. Make contributions, then confirm tax reporting
   • Your action: track your contributions and keep year-end tax forms.
   • What to expect: you’ll file Form 1040 and may need extra forms depending on IRA type and foreign assets.

IRAs in 2025: eligibility rules and the limits that matter

For IRAs, the gate is not your visa label. The gate is whether you have earned U.S. taxable income (wages or self-employment income taxable in the United States 🇺🇸) and an SSN or ITIN. The source material is clear that there are no changes to this foundational rule in 2025; eligibility hinges on compensation, not visa status.

Key 2025 IRA limits from the source:

Income phase-outs to watch (2025):

• Traditional IRA deduction phase-out if active participant in an employer plan: $79,000–$89,000 AGI (singles); $126,000–$146,000 (married filing jointly).
• Roth IRA eligibility phase-out: $150,000–$165,000 (singles); $236,000–$246,000 (joint filers).

For plain-language guidance on IRA rules, many tax pros point people to IRS Publication 590-A (Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements).

401(k) plans in 2025: caps, matches, and SECURE 2.0 effects

A workplace 401(k) is usually the fastest “big” retirement vehicle once you’re employed, because contributions can come straight out of payroll and many employers match part of what you save. The source material states there are no U.S. citizenship or residency barriers for 401(k) eligibility—employment and the plan’s rules are what matter.

Key 2025 401(k) limits from the source:

Important SECURE 2.0 timing and rules highlighted by the source:

• 2025: the “super” catch-up for ages 60–63 is reflected in the higher catch-up numbers above.
• 2026: high earners with $150,000+ prior-year FICA wages must make catch-up contributions as Roth (after-tax).

That 2026 change won’t affect every K-1 worker, but it matters for couples whose incomes rise quickly after the EAD arrives or after the green card is approved.

Tax filing and compliance: what first-time filers should expect

The source material says K-1 holders are “resident aliens for tax purposes post-entry, filing Form 1040 like citizens.” In practice, some people face tricky “first-year” situations, so many new arrivals use a CPA who works with immigrant clients.

Forms and records the source mentions:

• Form 1040 (core tax return)
• Form 8606 (tracks nondeductible IRA contributions)
• Form 8938 (foreign assets reporting threshold mentioned as >$50,000 for singles abroad in the source)
• Foreign reporting concepts flagged: FATCA/FBAR, with thresholds referenced as $10,000/$50,000

“You must file… if you meet the filing requirements.” — IRS (quoted in the source)

Keep your W-2s, retirement statements, and any proof of basis for IRAs.

Special situations: spousal IRAs, self-employment, and leaving the U.S.

Spousal IRA
– If one spouse can work and the other can’t yet, a Spousal IRA may allow the working spouse to contribute for both, provided you file jointly and earned income covers the contributions.
– Caps for 2025: up to $7,000/$8,000 each (standard/catch-up as noted), and the non-working spouse still needs an SSN or ITIN.

Self-employment
– After work authorization, self-employed individuals can use a SEP IRA, which the source notes can allow contributions up to 25% of compensation or $70,000 total (whichever applies under the plan rules).

Leaving the United States later
– The source states U.S.-based retirement accounts persist under U.S. law; there are no forced withdrawals solely because you leave.
– RMDs begin at age 73 under SECURE 2.0 updates.
– Withdrawals can trigger taxes and may face withholding; the source warns to plan for “30%+ withholding on non-treaty distributions.”

Timing reality: EAD stage is often where long-term routines begin

The source material notes green card processing times average 12–18 months post-marriage per USCIS data, so many couples treat the EAD stage as the point where long-term financial routines—like retirement saving—really begin.

Practical checklist (what to do once you expect work authorization):

• File Form I-765 early and keep records.
• Get an SSN or ITIN.
• Choose IRA provider(s) and learn contribution rules.
• Check your employer’s 401(k) eligibility rules and matching formula.
• Track year-end tax forms and keep copies of all retirement statements.
• Consult a tax professional experienced with immigrant tax situations, especially if you have foreign accounts or rapid income changes.

Key takeaways

• The path is: marriage → work authorization (EAD) → taxable wages → retirement contributions.
• K-1 status itself is not the barrier—earned U.S. taxable income and an SSN/ITIN are.
• 2025 brought higher contribution caps and immediate SECURE 2.0 changes; 2026 brings Roth catch-up requirements for some high earners.
• Start planning during the EAD gap so you can act quickly once payroll-authorized savings are available.