What this calculator does
Once you turn 50, the IRS lets you contribute more than the regular limits to workplace retirement plans and IRAs; from 55, you can add more to an HSA. Tick the accounts you have and enter your age at the end of 2026. The calculator shows each account's regular limit, your catch-up amount and your total limit for 2026, and what the extra savings could grow to if you make them every year.
2026 catch-up limits
| Account | Regular limit | Catch-up, age 50+ | Catch-up, ages 60–63 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457(b), TSP | $24,500 | $8,000 | $11,250 |
| SIMPLE IRA or SIMPLE 401(k) | $17,000 | $4,000 | $5,250 |
| Traditional or Roth IRA | $7,500 | $1,100 | $1,100 |
| HSA (catch-up from age 55) | $4,400 self-only; $8,750 family | $1,000 | $1,000 |
Sources: IRS announcement of the 2026 limits and Notice 2025-67 (IRS), HSA limits in Rev. Proc. 2025-19 (IRS). Some SIMPLE plans at small employers have a higher regular limit of $18,100 and a catch-up of $3,850.
How it is worked out
Your limit for each account = the regular limit + the catch-up for your age. The what-if adds the same catch-up amounts at the end of each year and grows them at the return you enter: catch-up × ((1 + r)n − 1) ÷ r. Example: at 55 with a 401(k), an IRA and a self-only HSA, you can save $10,100 more in 2026 ($8,000 + $1,100 + $1,000), for a total limit of $46,500. Saving that extra each year for 12 years at 6% would come to about $170,386.
Rules to know
- Your age is the age you reach by December 31, so you can use the catch-up from January of the year you turn 50.
- From 2026, if your Social Security wages from the employer were over $150,000 in 2025, workplace catch-up contributions must be Roth.
- You cannot contribute to an HSA once you are enrolled in Medicare. If both spouses are 55 or older, each makes their own catch-up to their own HSA.
Frequently asked questions
What is the catch-up contribution limit for 2026?
$8,000 for a 401(k)-type plan ($11,250 at ages 60 to 63), $4,000 for a SIMPLE plan ($5,250 at 60 to 63), $1,100 for an IRA and $1,000 for an HSA from age 55.
When can I start catch-up contributions?
In the calendar year you turn 50 (55 for an HSA), even before your birthday.
Why is the catch-up higher at 60 to 63?
A 2022 law (SECURE 2.0) added a higher catch-up for those four ages in workplace plans. At 64 the regular catch-up applies again.
Do I have to make catch-up contributions?
No. They are optional extra room for people who can save more.