Do you need earned income to contribute to a Roth IRA?

You must have earned income for the year in question, equal to or above the amount to be contributed for that year.

However, the actual source of the income does not have to be the earned income itself.

For example, it could be part of an inheritance or from capitol gains.

If you use a Tax Preparation Program, such as Turbo Tax, the program has a module that will calculate whether or not you qualify to contribute to a Roth or Traditional IRA in any given year, as well as the maximum you may contribute. This calculation takes place as part of the "Final Audit" phase at the end of the process.

Turbo Tax also compares a Roth contribution vs. a Traditional IRA contribution for the year, based on your individual situation based on the information you input while preparing your return.