2026 401(k) and IRA Contribution Limits — Quick Reference
Every retirement account limit for 2026 in one place, so you don't have to hunt across five different pages to find them.
This page collects every major 2026 retirement account contribution limit in one place. These figures are adjusted annually by the IRS, usually for inflation, so bookmark this page rather than a specific year's tax article if you want to check back next year — we update it when new limits are announced.
401(k), 403(b), and most 457 plans
| Category | 2026 limit |
|---|---|
| Employee deferral (under 50) | $24,500 |
| Catch-up (age 50–59) | +$8,000 ($32,500 total) |
| Super catch-up (age 60–63) | +$11,250 ($35,750 total) |
| Combined employee + employer | $72,000 ($80,000 with catch-up) |
| Compensation cap for calculations | $360,000 |
The employee deferral limit applies across all your 401(k), 403(b), and most 457 plans combined, even if you hold more than one during the year. If your FICA wages exceeded $150,000 in the prior year, any catch-up contributions must go into the Roth side of the plan rather than pre-tax. For the full explanation of how these limits work and what they mean in practice, see our complete 401(k) guide.
Traditional and Roth IRA (combined)
| Category | 2026 limit |
|---|---|
| Under 50 | $7,500 |
| 50 and older (with catch-up) | $8,600 |
This limit is shared across all your IRAs, traditional and Roth combined — it's not $7,500 per account. See our Roth IRA guide for the withdrawal and conversion rules, or our full comparison of all three account types if you're deciding where to put new savings.
Roth IRA income phase-out (who can contribute directly)
| Filing status | 2026 phase-out range |
|---|---|
| Single / head of household | $153,000 – $168,000 |
| Married filing jointly | $242,000 – $252,000 |
Below the bottom of the range, you can contribute the full amount. Above the top of the range, you can't contribute directly at all — though a backdoor Roth IRA remains available regardless of income, with one important catch (the pro-rata rule) covered in that guide.
Why this page exists as a standalone reference
These numbers already appear scattered across our 401(k), Roth IRA, and comparison guides, each explained in the context of how that specific account works. This page exists purely to save you from re-reading three full articles just to check one number. We treat the date at the top as the source of truth — if you're reading this well into a new year and the date above hasn't moved, that's worth flagging to us, since it likely means these figures are stale.
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Frequently Asked Questions
$24,500 for employees under 50. Those 50 and older can add an $8,000 catch-up for $32,500 total. Those aged 60 to 63 can use a higher $11,250 super catch-up instead, for $35,750 total, if their plan allows it.
$7,500 combined across all traditional and Roth IRAs for those under 50, or $8,600 for those 50 and older. This limit is shared across every IRA you own, not per account.
Yes, these are entirely separate limits. You can contribute the full $24,500 to a 401(k) and the full $7,500 to an IRA in the same year, though your ability to deduct the IRA contribution may be limited if you're also covered by a workplace plan and your income is above certain thresholds.
Direct Roth IRA contributions phase out between $153,000 and $168,000 of modified adjusted gross income for single filers, and between $242,000 and $252,000 for married couples filing jointly. Above the top of the range, you cannot contribute directly.
Yes. The IRS adjusts most of these limits annually for inflation, though not every year sees an increase for every limit. Always confirm you're looking at the current year's figures before making contribution decisions.
See how maxing out these limits changes your projected retirement balance.