IRA Contributions for 2016

Q. My client, who has no other retirement plan, has already filed his 2016 income tax return and has now decided to make a deductible IRA contribution for 2016. When does that contribution need to be made to count for 2016? And how can my client claim that contribution even though he has already filed his return?

A. He must make the contribution on or before April 18, and can file an amended tax return in order to claim the contribution. Because this is busy tax filing time, he might not hear from the IRS for a few weeks after filing the amended return.