About the 401(k) Catch-Up Contribution Calculator
This 401(k) catch-up contribution calculator shows exactly how much extra you can put into your workplace plan in 2026 on top of the regular $24,500 elective deferral limit. Enter the age you will be on December 31, your plan type and last year’s wages from your employer, and it returns your catch-up limit, your total maximum, the amount to defer each paycheck to hit it, and whether your catch-up contributions must go in as Roth.
Two SECURE 2.0 changes make this more than a single number. Savers who turn 60, 61, 62 or 63 during the year get a higher “super catch-up” of $11,250 instead of $8,000. And from 2026, anyone whose FICA wages from the plan sponsor exceeded $150,000 in 2025 must make catch-ups as Roth (after-tax) contributions. SIMPLE IRA participants have lower limits and are not subject to the Roth requirement.
Limits are the 2026 figures published by the IRS in Notice 2025-67. The growth projection keeps every future year’s catch-up at today’s limits and an assumed return, so treat it as an illustration. Special 403(b) 15-year and 457(b) final-three-year catch-ups are not included.
With the default inputs, the 2026 catch-up limit is $11,250.00. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the 401(k) catch-up contribution calculator
- 1Enter the age you will be on December 31, 2026.
- 2Choose your plan type — most workplace plans are the first option.
- 3Enter last year’s Social Security (box 3) wages from this employer to check the Roth rule.
- 4Pick your pay frequency to see the per-paycheck deferral needed.
- 5Set when you will stop contributing and an expected return to see what catch-ups could add.
Formula and method
Your catch-up depends on the age you reach by December 31 of the plan year, not your age on the day you contribute. Anyone turning 50 or older can add the standard catch-up; anyone turning 60, 61, 62 or 63 gets the larger SECURE 2.0 super catch-up instead. At 64 the limit falls back to the standard amount. SIMPLE IRAs use their own lower amounts ($4,000, or $3,850 for plans using the 110% limits, and $5,250 for ages 60–63).
The Roth catch-up rule compares your prior-year FICA wages (W-2 box 3) from the employer sponsoring the plan with the $150,000 threshold. Above it, catch-ups for 2026 must be designated Roth. The projection adds each year’s catch-up at the end of the year and compounds the running total at your expected return, keeping limits at 2026 levels.
- catch-up(a)
- Catch-up limit for the age reached in that year
- r
- Expected annual investment return
- base
- 2026 elective deferral limit ($24,500; SIMPLE $17,000 or $18,100)
Worked examples
Age 61, $160k wages, 401(k)
At 61 this saver gets the $11,250 super catch-up, so the total 2026 limit is $24,500 + $11,250 = $35,750, or $1,375 per paycheck over 26 pay periods. Because 2025 wages were above $150,000, the catch-up must be Roth. Catch-ups from 61 to 66 (three super catch-up years, then three at $8,000) add $57,750, worth about $68,126 by 67 with 6% growth.
Age 52, $95k wages, 401(k)
At 52 the standard $8,000 catch-up applies, for a $32,500 maximum. Wages under $150,000 mean catch-ups can stay pre-tax. From 52 to 64 the saver gets 9 years at $8,000 and 4 super catch-up years at $11,250, a total of $117,000.
SIMPLE IRA at 63
A SIMPLE IRA participant who turns 63 can defer $17,000 plus a $5,250 catch-up, $22,250 in total or about $1,854 a month. The Roth catch-up requirement does not apply to SIMPLE IRAs, even with high wages.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 401(k) catch-up limit for 2026?+
For 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457(b) and TSP accounts the standard catch-up is $8,000 for anyone 50 or older by year-end, on top of the $24,500 deferral limit — $32,500 in total.
What is the super catch-up for ages 60 to 63?+
SECURE 2.0 raised the catch-up for people who turn 60, 61, 62 or 63 during the year. For 2026 it is $11,250, so the total deferral limit for those ages is $35,750. At 64 the limit drops back to the standard catch-up.
Who has to make Roth catch-up contributions?+
Starting in 2026, if your FICA wages from the employer sponsoring the plan were more than $150,000 in 2025, your catch-up contributions to that plan must be Roth. Regular deferrals can still be pre-tax. SIMPLE IRAs and SEPs are exempt.
Do I have to be 50 before I can make catch-up contributions?+
No. You are eligible for the whole calendar year in which you turn 50, so you can start catch-ups in January even if your birthday is in December.
Does the employer match count toward the catch-up limit?+
No. Catch-ups are employee elective deferrals. Employer contributions count toward the separate overall limit of $72,000 for 2026, and catch-ups can be made on top of that overall limit.
What if my plan does not offer Roth contributions?+
If you are subject to the Roth catch-up rule and your plan has no Roth option, the plan cannot accept catch-up contributions from you, although you can still contribute up to the regular deferral limit.
Tax results are estimates based on published rules and simplified assumptions. They are not tax advice — check official guidance or a tax professional for your situation.