SURE, you have 98 days to make that 2006 tax year con tribution to your tax-deductible IRA. But why wait?

Making your IRA contribution early, like in the first few days of the year rather than the last few days of the eligible period, can mean thousands of dollars in added retirement cash.

That’s the reminder passed along by Charles Hughes, a Bay Shore, N.Y., financial planner, who tells Act Now about two hypothetical 50-year-olds each planning to retire in 15 years.

One contributes to his IRA on Jan. 1 each year, the other on April 15 the following year – the last possible day. Assuming annual contributions of $4,000 and 6 percent gains, Mr. Quickstart will have about $96,940 on retirement day. Mr. Procrastinate will have $84,770, according to Hughes.