The IRS set the 2026 401(k) employee deferral limit at $24,500, a $1,000 increase from 2025, and for the first time a distinct “super catch-up” of $11,250 applies exclusively to workers aged 60–63 under SECURE 2.0 rules. If you are in that four-year window, your total 401(k) contribution ceiling for 2026 is $35,750 — the highest in the plan’s history.
The $24,500 401(k) Limit and Who Gets the $11,250 Super Catch-Up
The standard employee deferral limit of $24,500 applies to anyone who participates in a 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, or the federal Thrift Savings Plan in 2026. Workers who are 50 or older by December 31, 2026 may add a standard catch-up of $8,000, bringing their ceiling to $32,500.
The super catch-up — $11,250 — replaces the standard $8,000 catch-up for anyone who turns 60, 61, 62, or 63 during 2026. It does not stack on top of the $8,000; it substitutes for it. Workers who turn 64 in 2026 revert to the $8,000 catch-up.
Employer contributions — matching and profit-sharing — are separate. The combined employee-plus-employer cap under IRC Section 415 for 2026 is not listed in Rev. Proc. 2025-32 as modified here, so confirm the Section 415 total with your plan administrator. What is confirmed: the employee-only figures above are from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.
2025 vs. 2026 Contribution Limits: Full Comparison
| Limit | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 401(k) employee deferral | $23,500 | $24,500 |
| Catch-up age 50+ | $7,500 | $8,000 |
| Super catch-up ages 60–63 | $11,250 | $11,250 |
| IRA contribution limit | $7,000 | $7,500 |
| IRA catch-up (50+) | $1,000 | $1,100 |
| HSA self-only | $4,300 | $4,400 |
| HSA family | $8,550 | $8,750 |
| FSA limit | $3,300 | $3,400 |
IRA Limits for 2026: $7,500 Base, $8,600 at Age 50
The IRA contribution limit rises to $7,500 in 2026, up from $7,000 in 2025. The catch-up contribution for those 50 and older also increased — to $1,100, up from $1,000 — bringing the total IRA ceiling to $8,600 for eligible savers.
This limit applies to traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, and the combination of both. If you contribute $4,000 to a Roth IRA, you may contribute no more than $3,500 to a traditional IRA in the same tax year. Income phase-outs for Roth IRA eligibility are indexed separately; confirm current thresholds at IRS retirement topics.
HSA and FSA Limits in 2026: $4,400 Self-Only, $8,750 Family
Health Savings Accounts remain the only triple-tax-advantaged vehicle available: contributions reduce taxable income, growth is tax-free, and qualified withdrawals are tax-free. The 2026 limits are $4,400 for self-only coverage and $8,750 for family coverage. The HSA catch-up for those 55 and older remains $1,000, unchanged by statute.
Flexible Spending Accounts cap at $3,400 in 2026. Unlike HSAs, FSA funds generally must be used by year-end (or within a plan’s grace period), and FSAs are not portable if you change employers.
2026 IRS Tax Brackets: Standard Deductions Rise to $15,750 Single / $31,500 Joint
IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 indexed the 2026 standard deduction upward approximately 2.7% from 2025 levels. Singles claim $15,750; married couples filing jointly claim $31,500; heads of household claim $23,625. The top marginal rate remains 37%, applied to income above the inflation-adjusted threshold for that bracket.
For retirement savers, the standard deduction increase matters because it raises the income floor before itemizing becomes worthwhile. A married couple over 65 with pension income, Social Security, and 401(k) distributions should model whether itemizing medical expenses or charitable contributions still clears the $31,500 bar.
The business mileage rate for 2026 is 70 cents per mile. The estate tax exclusion rises to $13.99 million per individual, and the annual gift tax exclusion is $19,000 per recipient — relevant for high-net-worth savers using gifting strategies alongside 401(k) maximization.
Social Security 2026: 2.5% COLA, $176,100 Wage Base, $4,018 Maximum Benefit
The SSA’s 2026 COLA of 2.5% took effect in January 2026, lifting the average retired-worker benefit to approximately $1,976 per month. The maximum monthly benefit at Full Retirement Age — now 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later — reaches approximately $4,018.
The Social Security wage base — the earnings ceiling subject to the 6.2% OASDI payroll tax — is $176,100 in 2026. Earnings above that threshold are not taxed for Social Security purposes, though the 1.45% Medicare tax (and the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax above $200,000 single / $250,000 joint) applies without a ceiling.
If you collect Social Security before reaching FRA and continue working, the earnings test applies. In 2026, SSA withholds $1 for every $2 earned above $23,400 annually. In the calendar year you reach FRA, the threshold jumps to $62,160, with $1 withheld per $3 above that limit. Withheld benefits are not lost permanently — SSA recalculates your benefit upward at FRA to credit the months it withheld payments.
You are 62 years old, earning $140,000 in 2026, and enrolled in your employer’s high-deductible health plan. You want to maximize tax-advantaged savings before retiring at 65. Your employer offers both a traditional and Roth 401(k) option, and you are in the 24% federal bracket.
SSI federal maximums in 2026 are $967/month for an individual and $1,450/month for a couple. These figures matter for retirement planners advising clients whose income may fall near SSI eligibility thresholds.
Medicare 2026: $206.50 Part B Premium, IRMAA Starts at $106,000 Single
The standard Medicare Part B premium for 2026 is $206.50 per month, with an annual deductible of $257. Both figures apply before Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) surcharges, which begin at modified adjusted gross income above $106,000 for single filers and $212,000 for married-joint filers.
IRMAA is determined using your MAGI from two years prior — meaning 2026 Part B premiums are based on 2024 tax returns. A large 401(k) distribution, Roth conversion, or capital gain in 2024 can push you into a higher IRMAA bracket for 2026. Coordinate large distributions with your tax advisor before year-end to manage this exposure. Details at Medicare.gov.
Roth vs. Traditional 401(k) in 2026: Which Direction the $24,500 Should Flow
Both Roth and traditional 401(k) contributions share the same $24,500 limit. The decision turns on your current marginal rate versus your expected rate in retirement. If you are in the 22% or 24% bracket today and expect to be in the 22% or higher bracket in retirement — a realistic scenario given required minimum distributions from a well-funded account — Roth contributions lock in today’s rate and produce tax-free income later.
Confirm your age as of Dec 31, 2026: you must be 50+ to use the $7,500 standard catch-up, or 60–63 to qualify for the $11,250 super catch-up under SECURE 2.0 *
Verify your employer’s plan document allows catch-up contributions and the super catch-up provision before assuming eligibility *
Check whether your employer requires Roth catch-up contributions if your prior-year FICA wages exceeded $145,000, as mandated by SECURE 2.0 *
Calculate your current deferral rate against the $24,500 base limit to determine how much you can still increase contributions before the plan’s open-enrollment deadline
Review your household cash flow to ensure increasing deferrals to the new limit won’t create a liquidity shortfall for near-term expenses or emergency reserves
Coordinate with a tax advisor to model whether traditional pre-tax or Roth 401(k) contributions are more advantageous given your projected 2026 marginal tax bracket
If you are in the 32%, 35%, or 37% bracket now and expect a lower rate after retiring, traditional pre-tax contributions reduce your highest-rate dollars today. The 2026 standard deduction of $31,500 for joint filers means a retired couple with no other income can withdraw approximately $31,500 from a traditional 401(k) or IRA before paying any federal income tax — a meaningful argument for pre-tax accumulation.
Workers in states with no income tax — Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming — face a different calculus: there is no state tax deduction to capture on traditional contributions, which slightly favors Roth for residents of those states who expect to remain there in retirement.
Stacking the Tax-Advantaged Accounts in 2026
A worker aged 62 enrolled in a high-deductible health plan can simultaneously maximize a 401(k), an HSA, and — if income permits — a Roth IRA. The combined shelter in 2026: $35,750 (401(k) with super catch-up) + $4,400 (HSA self-only) + $8,600 (IRA with catch-up) = $48,750 in tax-advantaged space before any employer match.
Add a $3,400 FSA if the employer offers one separately from the HSA (limited-purpose FSAs for dental and vision can coexist with an HSA). The theoretical maximum for a 62-year-old with access to all accounts approaches $52,150 in deferred or sheltered dollars for 2026.
The April 15, 2026 tax filing deadline also marks the last day to make a 2025 IRA contribution. If you have not yet funded your 2025 IRA — up to $7,000 base, $8,000 with the 50+ catch-up — today is the final opportunity before that year closes permanently.
SSA announces the 2027 COLA in October 2026, based on third-quarter CPI-W data, and the IRS will publish 2027 contribution limits in a new Revenue Procedure expected in late October or November 2026.
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