2026 LIMITS · EMPLOYER MATCH · ROTH OR TRADITIONAL

401(k) & IRA Contribution Planner 2026

See how much room you have left in your 401(k), 403(b) or 457 plan this year and what percentage to set on your remaining paychecks to max it out without losing your employer match. Check whether your IRA contribution is deductible or Roth-eligible, compare Roth and traditional, estimate the Saver’s Credit and project your balance.

Limits come from IRS IR-2025-111 and Notice 2025-67. Growth figures are illustrations, not investment advice.

  1. 1Age, pay & match
  2. 2See your % to max out
  3. 3IRA, Roth & projection

    Your 2026 workplace plan

    Using 401(k) & IRA Contribution Planner 2026

    Work out exactly what to contribute to your workplace retirement plan and IRA in 2026. Enter your age, pay, what you have contributed so far and your employer match; the planner shows the percentage to set on your remaining paychecks to reach the limit, warns if maxing out early would cost you match money, checks IRA deduction and Roth IRA eligibility, compares Roth with traditional and projects your balance.

    1. In You, enter your birth year, filing status and estimated modified AGI, and whether you or your spouse have a workplace plan.
    2. In Paycheck, enter your salary, pay frequency and pre-tax and Roth contribution percentages, plus what your latest pay stub shows for the year so far.
    3. In Match, pick your employer’s formula (for example 100% of the first 3% and 50% of the next 2%) and whether the plan has a true-up.
    4. Read the headline: the percentage to set on each remaining paycheck. Compare options and press Use to try one.
    5. Check the IRA, Roth vs traditional and Projection tabs, then download a PDF or CSV.

    Example

    A 42-year-old earning $104,000, paid every two weeks, who has contributed $15,000 by late October has $9,500 of room left; with 5 paychecks left that means setting about 47.5% of pay to reach the $24,500 limit.
Someone turning 61 in 2026 can defer up to $35,750 ($24,500 plus the $11,250 catch-up for ages 60–63) if the plan allows it.

    Questions & answers

    What is the 401(k) limit for 2026?

    Employees can defer up to $24,500 to a 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457 plan or the Thrift Savings Plan. People 50 and older can add an $8,000 catch-up ($32,500 total), and those aged 60 to 63 can add $11,250 instead if the plan allows.

    What is the IRA limit for 2026?

    $7,500, plus a $1,100 catch-up at age 50 or older, and never more than your earned income. The limit is shared between traditional and Roth IRAs.

    Can I still deduct a traditional IRA if I have a 401(k)?

    Yes, partly or fully depending on income. For 2026 the deduction phases out between $81,000 and $91,000 of modified AGI for single filers covered by a workplace plan and between $129,000 and $149,000 for married couples filing jointly.

    What are the Roth IRA income limits for 2026?

    Contributions phase out between $153,000 and $168,000 of modified AGI for single and head-of-household filers and between $242,000 and $252,000 for married couples filing jointly.

    Why can maxing out early cost me my employer match?

    Many plans calculate the match each paycheck. If you reach the limit in, say, September, you stop contributing and the match stops too, unless your plan makes a year-end true-up. Spreading contributions over the year keeps the full match.

    Do high earners have to make catch-up contributions as Roth?

    Yes. Starting in 2026, if your Social Security wages from the employer were more than $150,000 in 2025, your catch-up contributions must be Roth (after-tax).

    Is the projection a prediction?

    No. It assumes a steady return, raises and inflation that you choose. Real markets go up and down, so use it to compare choices, not to forecast a balance.

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