401(k) Contribution Limit 2026: $24,500 Plus Catch-Up

Watch: 401(k) contribution limit 2026 (1:28)

Updated October 25, 2026 · Sources linked in the text

For 2026, you can put up to $24,500 of your own pay into a 401(k), up from $23,500 in 2025. At age 50 or older you can add a $8,000 catch-up ($32,500 in total), and at ages 60 to 63 the catch-up is $11,250 ($35,750 in total). The same limit applies to 403(b) plans, most 457 plans and the federal Thrift Savings Plan. Source

2026 limits at a glance

	2026	2025
Your own contributions (pre-tax and Roth together)	$24,500	$23,500
Catch-up, age 50 or older	$8,000	$7,500
Catch-up, age 60 to 63	$11,250	$11,250
Total with employer contributions	$72,000	—
IRA (separate limit)	$7,500 + $1,100 at 50+	$7,000 + $1,000 at 50+

Sources: IRS news release IR-2025-111 Source; IRS retirement topics, 401(k) contribution limits Source. With catch-up contributions, the 2026 total limit is $80,000, or $83,250 at ages 60 to 63.

How much to put in each paycheck to reach the limit

Pay schedule	$24,500	Age 50+ ($32,500)	Age 60 to 63 ($35,750)
Weekly (52 paychecks)	$471.15	$625.00	$687.50
Every two weeks (26 paychecks)	$942.31	$1,250.00	$1,375.00
Twice a month (24 paychecks)	$1,020.83	$1,354.17	$1,489.58
Monthly (12 paychecks)	$2,041.67	$2,708.33	$2,979.17

As a share of salary, reaching $24,500 takes:

Salary	Share for $24,500	Share for $32,500 (age 50+)
$50,000	49.0%	65.0%
$75,000	32.7%	43.3%
$100,000	24.5%	32.5%
$150,000	16.3%	21.7%
$200,000	12.2%	16.2%

If you start part way through the year, divide what is left of the limit by the paychecks that are left. Some plans stop your contributions when you reach the limit; check with your plan if you could reach it early.

What a traditional 401(k) does to your take-home pay

Traditional 401(k) contributions come out before federal income tax, so your take-home pay falls by less than you put in. Social Security and Medicare are still taken from the money you contribute.

$60,000 salary, every two weeks	Into your 401(k)	Take-home pay	Take-home pay lost	Federal income tax saved
Nothing	$0.00	$1,938.07	—	—
5%	$115.38	$1,836.54	$101.53	$13.85
10%	$230.77	$1,735.00	$203.07	$27.70
15%	$346.15	$1,633.46	$304.61	$41.54

Single filer, 2026 Form W-4 with no adjustments, Texas (no state income tax). Worked out with the same engine as our calculators.

So at 10%, $230.77 goes into your account each paycheck but your take-home pay falls by only $203.07. Most states with an income tax also exclude 401(k) contributions from state wages; Pennsylvania does not, so there the contribution lowers federal income tax only. A Roth 401(k) works the other way: no tax saving now, but qualified withdrawals later are tax free. It shares the same limit.

Rules worth knowing

One limit across all your plans: if you change jobs or have two jobs, your own contributions to all 401(k), 403(b) and similar plans together count toward one $24,500 limit. Source
Employer money is separate: matching and profit-sharing contributions do not use up your $24,500, but everything together cannot pass $72,000 for 2026.
Ages 60 to 63: the higher $11,250 catch-up applies in the years you reach age 60, 61, 62 or 63.

Prefer to watch? See the 1:28 video on the 2026 401(k) limit, with captions and a transcript.

See your own numbers in the salary paycheck calculator: enter your 401(k) as a percent or a dollar amount under deductions.

Common questions

Does my employer's match count toward the $24,500 limit?

No. The $24,500 limit is for your own contributions. Employer contributions count toward a separate total limit of $72,000 for 2026, which includes your own contributions.

Do Roth 401(k) contributions have a separate limit?

No. Pre-tax and Roth contributions share the same $24,500 limit.

I have two jobs with two 401(k) plans. Do I get two limits?

No. Your own contributions to all your plans together are limited to $24,500 (457(b) plans have their own limit). The total limit with employer money applies to each employer separately.

When does the higher catch-up for ages 60 to 63 apply?

In a year when you reach age 60, 61, 62 or 63 by the end of the year, your catch-up limit is $11,250 instead of $8,000.

What is the 401(k) limit for 2027?

The IRS announces next year's limits each autumn, usually in early November. We will update this page when it publishes the 2027 figures.

General information, not tax or investment advice. Your plan's rules decide details such as when contributions start and whether catch-up contributions are offered.