401(k) deferral
$24,500
Tax year 2026
2026 401(k) & IRA Contribution Limits
$24,500 401(k) · $7,500 IRA · $8,000 age-50+ catch-up.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
50+ catch-up
$8,000
IRA limit
$7,500
§415(c) combined
$72,000
What stood out in 2026
401(k) deferral $24,500; IRA $7,500; first IRA catch-up increase since 2006 ($1,100).
Versus 2025: 401(k) deferral $23,500 → $24,500; IRA $7,000 → $7,500. Compare 2025 vs 2026
2026 contribution limits in detail
401(k) / 403(b) / 457(b)
- Elective deferral (§402(g))
- $24,500
- Age 50+ catch-up
- $8,000
- Total under 60 / 64+
- $32,500
- Ages 60–63 catch-up
- $11,250
- Total ages 60–63
- $35,750
- §415(c) annual additions
- $72,000
- Compensation cap
- $360,000
IRA & SIMPLE
- IRA limit (Trad + Roth)
- $7,500
- IRA age-50+ catch-up
- $1,100
- IRA total at 50+
- $8,600
- SIMPLE elective
- $17,000
- SIMPLE age-50+ catch-up
- $4,000
Education
Putting 2026 limits to work
If you had a workplace plan
Elective deferrals could total up to $24,500 ($32,500 at age 50+), or $35,750 if ages 60–63. Employer match sat on top of that until the combined §415(c) cap of $72,000.
If you also funded an IRA
You could still contribute up to $7,500 ($8,600 at 50+) across Traditional and Roth IRAs combined—separate from the 401(k) deferral limit—subject to earned income and phaseout rules for that year.
Compensation cap reminder
Plans generally could not count compensation above $360,000 when computing contributions under §401(a)(17). That matters for highly paid employees and owner plans even when the elective-deferral limit is the headline number.
SIMPLE vs regular 401(k)
SIMPLE elective room was $17,000 (+$4,000 at 50+). If your employer offered a SIMPLE instead of a regular 401(k), use those lower caps—not the §402(g) figure above.
Plan with current-year tools
These 2026 figures are historical IRS reference amounts. Live calculators use current limits.
Related years
FAQs for 2026
$24,500 elective deferral, plus $8,000 age-50+ catch-up (total $32,500), or $11,250 catch-up for ages 60–63.
$7,500 under 50; $8,600 at age 50+ (includes $1,100 catch-up). Traditional and Roth share this cap.
$72,000 for total annual additions (employee + employer) to defined-contribution plans. The compensation cap was $360,000.
$17,000 elective contribution, plus $4,000 age-50+ catch-up for SIMPLE IRA / SIMPLE 401(k) plans.
Yes. Participants who turned 60–63 in 2026 could use a $11,250 catch-up (total elective room $35,750 with the base deferral).
Yes. Workplace elective deferrals up to $24,500 (plus catch-up if eligible) did not reduce the separate IRA limit of $7,500. Roth IRA contributions still faced AGI phaseouts; Traditional IRA deductions could phase out if you had a workplace plan.
No. Match did not count against the $24,500 §402(g) limit, but employee + employer amounts together could not exceed the $72,000 §415(c) cap.
401(k) deferral $24,500; IRA $7,500; first IRA catch-up increase since 2006 ($1,100). 401(k) deferral: $23,500 → $24,500. IRA: $7,000 → $7,500. Catch-up: $7,500 → $8,000.
Open the 2025 vs 2026 compare page for deferral, IRA, catch-up, SIMPLE, and §415(c) deltas in one table.
These 2026 amounts are historical IRS reference data. The 401(k) match and Roth IRA calculators use current-year limits for estimates.
IRS Notice 2025-67. See also the IRS COLA page for plan-type limits.