401(k) Contribution Limits 2026: Every IRS Figure in One Table
Quick answer
The 401(k) contribution limit for 2026 is $24,500 in employee deferrals, up from $23,500 in 2025. Savers aged 50 and over can add an $8,000 catch-up, rising to $11,250 at ages 60 to 63. Combined employee and employer contributions are capped at $72,000.
401(k) contribution limits and related IRS thresholds, 2026 vs 2025
| Limit | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Employee deferral (401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans) | $24,500 | $23,500 |
| Catch-up contribution, age 50 and over | $8,000 | $7,500 |
| Higher catch-up, ages 60 to 63 | $11,250 | $11,250 |
| Maximum employee deferral at 50+ | $32,500 | $31,000 |
| Maximum employee deferral, ages 60 to 63 | $35,750 | $34,750 |
| Combined employee + employer limit (section 415(c)) | $72,000 | $70,000 |
| Annual compensation limit (section 401(a)(17)) | $360,000 | $350,000 |
| Highly compensated employee threshold | $160,000 | $160,000 |
| Key employee threshold (top-heavy rules) | $235,000 | $230,000 |
| Roth catch-up wage threshold (prior-year FICA wages) | $150,000 of 2025 wages | $145,000 of 2024 wages |
The 401k contribution limits for 2026 are set by the IRS's annual cost-of-living adjustment, announced in November 2025 as Notice 2025-67. The table above is the complete picture: the $24,500 employee deferral, both catch-up tiers, the $72,000 combined cap, and the compensation thresholds that decide who counts as highly compensated. Every figure is the IRS's published number, with 2025 alongside so you can see exactly what moved. Note that the Roth 401(k) shares the same $24,500 limit; it is one ceiling across pre-tax and Roth deferrals, not one each.
Two of these numbers do more work than people realise. The section 415(c) limit of $72,000 is the real ceiling on what can enter your account in a year, employer money included, which is why a generous match never crowds out your own deferrals. And the new $150,000 Roth catch-up wage threshold quietly changes the tax treatment of catch-ups for a large slice of over-50 savers from January 2026. Whether your employer's money is any good in the first place is a separate question, covered in how the 401(k) employer match works.
If you are weighing where the next dollar should go after the match, the sequencing argument is laid out in Roth IRA vs 401(k), and the IRA side of the ledger, including the income phase-outs that the 401(k) happily ignores, lives in Roth IRA contribution limits for 2026. The rest of our US coverage is at /us/articles.
Frequently asked questions
What changes are coming to 401(k) plans in 2026?
Three headline changes: the employee deferral limit rises to $24,500, the age-50 catch-up rises to $8,000, and the combined employee-plus-employer cap rises to $72,000. Separately, the SECURE 2.0 rule takes effect requiring anyone who earned over $150,000 in 2025 FICA wages from their employer to make catch-up contributions as Roth.
How much can I contribute to my 401(k) in 2026 if I am over 50?
Up to $32,500 in employee deferrals: the standard $24,500 limit plus the $8,000 catch-up. If you turn 60, 61, 62 or 63 during 2026, the higher $11,250 catch-up applies instead, lifting your ceiling to $35,750. Employer contributions sit on top, up to the $72,000 combined limit plus your catch-up.
Can I contribute to both a 401(k) and an IRA in 2026?
Yes. The limits are entirely separate: up to $24,500 of 401(k) deferrals and up to $7,500 into an IRA for 2026. Being covered by a workplace plan does not block IRA contributions, but it can reduce the traditional IRA deduction, which phases out between $81,000 and $91,000 of income for single filers.
Does the employer match count toward the $24,500 limit?
No. The $24,500 limit covers only your own deferrals, pre-tax and Roth combined. Employer matching and profit-sharing contributions count toward the separate section 415(c) limit of $72,000 for 2026 ($80,000 including the age-50 catch-up). Your match is on top of your deferrals, not carved out of them.
What happens if I contribute too much to my 401(k)?
Excess deferrals must be withdrawn, with their earnings, by April 15 of the following year. Correct in time and only the earnings are taxed at withdrawal. Miss the deadline and the excess is taxed twice: once in the year you contributed it and again when it eventually comes out of the plan.
Why do high earners have to make Roth catch-up contributions in 2026?
The SECURE 2.0 Act requires it from January 2026. If your Social Security wages from your employer topped $150,000 in 2025, any catch-up contributions you make in 2026 must be designated Roth, meaning after-tax money in and tax-free qualified withdrawals out. Below that wage threshold, pre-tax catch-ups remain allowed.
Sources
- IRS - 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026 (IR-2025-111)
- IRS - COLA increases for dollar limitations on benefits and contributions
- IRS - Notice 2025-67, 2026 amounts relating to retirement plans and IRAs (IRB 2025-49)
- IRS - What happens when an employee has elective deferrals in excess of the limits
General information, not financial advice. Tax rules and figures can change; check the current position on irs.gov or ssa.gov before acting.