The 401(k) contribution limit for 2026 is $24,500, up from $23,500 for 2025, the Internal Revenue Service said in a news release on November 13, 2025. The same annual limit applies to employees who participate in 403(b) plans, governmental 457 plans and the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan.
The 2026 limits
The figures below come from the IRS release, which the agency numbered IR-2025-111 and which cites Notice 2025-67.
| Limit | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Employee contributions to a 401(k) | $24,500 | $23,500 |
| Catch-up, aged 50 and over | $8,000 | $7,500 |
| Annual contributions to an IRA | $7,500 | $7,000 |
| IRA catch-up, aged 50 and over | $1,100 | $1,000 |
The IRS table of yearly limits lists the same four figures for 2026 and 2025.
Catch-up contributions for older workers
The catch-up contribution limit that generally applies to employees aged 50 and over in most 401(k) plans is $8,000 for 2026, according to the release. The IRS said participants in those plans who are 50 and older generally can contribute up to $32,500 each year, starting in 2026.
A higher catch-up limit applies to employees aged 60, 61, 62 and 63 under a change made in the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022. For 2026 that higher limit remains $11,250 instead of $8,000, the release said. The IRS page on 401(k) contribution limits gives the same $24,500, $8,000 and $11,250 figures for 2026.
The IRA limit
The limit on annual contributions to an IRA is $7,500 for 2026, up from $7,000, the release said. The IRA catch-up contribution limit for people aged 50 and over is $1,100 for 2026, up from $1,000 for 2025. The IRS said that catch-up limit was amended under SECURE 2.0 to include an annual cost-of-living adjustment.
For another yearly adjustment, see What is the Social Security COLA for 2027?