401(k) contribution calculator for 2026
For 2026 you can contribute up to $24,500 of your own money to a 401(k), $32,500 if you are 50 to 59 or 64 and older, and $35,750 if you are 60 to 63. Divide whichever number applies to you by your number of paychecks to get the per-paycheck amount that hits it exactly. The calculator below takes your age, salary, and current contribution rate and shows your 2026 max, the gap to it, the employer match you would collect, and your combined total against the $72,000 all-sources limit.
Calculate your 2026 401(k) contribution
The defaults below are a 40-year-old earning $90,000 who contributes 6% of salary, with an employer that matches 50% of contributions up to 6% of pay. Change any field to match your own numbers; every result recalculates as you type.
% of salary
cents per dollar you contribute, as a percent (e.g. 50 = 50 cents per dollar)
% of salary; contributing beyond this earns no extra match
Standard limit, no catch-up yet.
| Your 2026 max employee contribution | $24,500 |
|---|---|
| Per-paycheck amount to hit that max | $942.31 |
| Your current annual contribution | $5,400 |
| Your current per-paycheck contribution | $207.69 |
| Gap to the max | $19,100 short of the max ($734.62 more per paycheck would get you there) |
| Employer match you'd get this year | $2,700 / year |
| Match left unclaimed | None. You are getting the full match. |
| Combined total (you + employer) | $8,100 |
| Combined 415(c) limit for your age | $72,000 |
| Room left under the combined limit | $63,900 of room left under the combined limit |
Limits: IRS Notice 2025-67. This tool estimates based on the numbers you enter; it does not check your specific plan's rules, vesting schedule, or whether your plan allows Roth catch-up contributions.
What is the 2026 401(k) contribution limit by age?
The employee elective deferral limit, the most you can defer from your own pay, is $24,500 for 2026. Catch-up contributions raise that limit for older savers, and one age band gets a distinct, larger catch-up.
| Age (as of 12/31/2026) | Employee deferral limit | Catch-up | Total employee limit | Combined limit, all sources (§415(c)) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 50 | $24,500 | None | $24,500 | $72,000 |
| 50 to 59 | $24,500 | +$8,000 | $32,500 | $80,000 |
| 60 to 63 | $24,500 | +$11,250 (super catch-up) | $35,750 | $83,250 |
| 64 and older | $24,500 | +$8,000 | $32,500 | $80,000 |
Source: IRS Notice 2025-67, "2026 Amounts Relating to Retirement Plans and IRAs, as Adjusted for Changes in Cost-of-Living." The combined column adds the same catch-up amount to the base $72,000 §415(c) limit; see 2026 contribution limits for the full breakdown across 401(k)s and IRAs.
How much do you need to contribute per paycheck to max out your 401(k)?
Divide your target for the year by how many paychecks you get. On a 26-pay-period (biweekly) schedule, hitting the standard $24,500 max takes $942.31 per paycheck. At $32,500 (the 50+ catch-up), that is $1,250.00 per paycheck. At $35,750 (the 60-63 super catch-up), that is $1,375.00 per paycheck. If you are starting mid-year, divide by however many pay periods actually remain, not 26, since fewer paychecks left means a larger amount each time to still reach the same annual total.
What is an employer match, and why should you always get the full match?
A match is money your employer adds on top of your salary, based on how much you contribute. A common formula matches 50 cents per dollar you contribute, up to some percentage of your pay, for example 6%. Contribute less than that percentage and part of the match goes unclaimed, permanently. It does not roll over or pay out later. In the calculator's default (6% contribution, 50% match up to 6%), the match is fully claimed at $2,700 a year. Drop the contribution to 3% instead, and only $1,350 of match gets collected, quietly giving up $1,350 a year for no reason. For the full mechanics of how a match and vesting work, see how does a 401(k) work?
What is the combined 401(k) limit, including your employer's contribution?
Your own contributions are capped at $24,500 (plus any catch-up you qualify for). But the total that can land in your 401(k) account from every source, your contributions, your employer's match, and any after-tax contributions, is capped separately at $72,000 under Internal Revenue Code §415(c). Catch-up contributions add to that ceiling rather than counting against it, so the combined limit is $80,000 for savers 50 to 59 or 64 and older, and $83,250 for savers 60 to 63. Most people never come close to the combined limit through a typical contribution and match; it mainly matters for high earners at generous employers, or for anyone also making after-tax contributions inside the plan.
What are the catch-up contribution rules for 2026?
- Age 50 to 59, and age 64 and older: an extra $8,000, for a total employee limit of $32,500.
- Age 60 to 63: a larger "super" catch-up of $11,250, for a total employee limit of $35,750. This comes from the SECURE 2.0 Act. It replaces the standard $8,000 catch-up for those four years; the two do not stack. You qualify if you turn 60, 61, 62, or 63 at any point during 2026.
- Age 64 and older: the super catch-up ends and the standard $8,000 catch-up applies again.
One more wrinkle: starting with taxable years after December 31, 2026, anyone whose prior-year wages from their employer exceeded $150,000 must make catch-up contributions as Roth (after-tax), not pre-tax. It affects only the catch-up portion, and only if your plan offers a Roth option; if it does not, you may lose the ability to make catch-up contributions at all until it does.
Worked example: three savers, three ages
Same job, same $90,000 salary, same 6% contribution, same 50%-up-to-6% match. Only age changes.
| Saver | 2026 max | Contributing (6% of $90,000) | Gap to max | Employer match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 35 | $24,500 | $5,400 | $19,100 | $2,700 |
| Age 55 | $32,500 | $5,400 | $27,100 | $2,700 |
| Age 62 | $35,750 | $5,400 | $30,350 | $2,700 |
The match is identical across all three because it depends only on salary and contribution rate, not age. Only the room above the current contribution changes: the 62-year-old has over $30,000 of unused space, while the 35-year-old has just over $19,000. Now change one more thing: if the 35-year-old contributed only 3% instead of 6%, they would still owe nothing extra, but their match would drop to $1,350, half of what full participation would earn, and $1,350 of employer money would go uncollected for the year.
401(k) vs other retirement accounts
A 401(k) is one of several tax-advantaged places to save, and it is usually the first one worth filling, at least up to the match, because nothing else hands you an instant, guaranteed return simply for contributing. Beyond the match, whether to keep going in the 401(k), split with an IRA, or prioritize something else depends on your plan's fund menu and fees, your income, and whether you have access to a Roth option. See which retirement account should you use? for how to weigh a 401(k) against an IRA and other options, and 2026 contribution limits for the IRA-side numbers this page does not cover.
The flat truth: get the match first, then aim for the max
The order of operations rarely changes: contribute at least enough to collect every dollar of employer match, since walking away from free money is the one 401(k) mistake with no upside. After that, the $24,500 to $35,750 range (depending on your age) is the ceiling, not a target everyone needs to hit this year. How much of the remaining gap to close depends on your own budget and other goals, which this calculator does not know and cannot tell you. What it can tell you, precisely, is where you stand today: your max, your per-paycheck number, your match, and how much room is left. Adjust the contribution field above whenever your salary, age, or plan's match formula changes, since all three of them, plus this page's fixed 2026 IRS limits, are what these numbers actually run on.
Sources
- 2026 elective deferral limit, catch-up amounts, the age 60-63 super catch-up, and the §415(c) combined limit: IRS newsroom, "401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026".
- The underlying cost-of-living adjustments with each code section: IRS Notice 2025-67 (PDF).
- The 2026 Roth catch-up requirement for wages over $150,000: IRS Notice 2025-67 (PDF).