The IRS has not yet announced the 2027 contribution limits for 401(k) plans and IRAs as of Nov. 4, 2026. The agency typically publishes them between late October and mid-November. Here is what is official today and what forecasters expect.
The 2026 limits (official)
According to IRS Notice 2025-67:
- 401(k), 403(b) and most 457 plans: $24,500 in employee contributions for 2026, up from $23,500 in 2025.
- IRA: $7,500, up from $7,000.
- IRA catch-up (age 50 and over): $1,100, up from $1,000.
These are the amounts you can contribute through Dec. 31, 2026 (IRAs through the tax-filing deadline for 2026 contributions).
Projected 2027 numbers (unofficial)
One calculator that applies the statutory formula to inflation data estimates a 2027 employee deferral limit of about $25,500, with a catch-up for workers 50 and older of about $8,500, and an IRA limit of $7,500. These are projections, not IRS numbers. Treat them as a planning range until the notice is out.
What to do before year-end
- Check your pace. Compare your 2026 contributions with the $24,500 limit. If you are close, you may be able to max out in December.
- Ask HR about your match and make sure you capture the full employer contribution.
- Plan for 2027. When the IRS announces the new limit, update your payroll percentage in January.
- IRA deadline. You can make 2026 IRA contributions until the tax-filing deadline in April 2027.
Social Security’s 2027 figures are already official: the 3.6% COLA and the $192,300 taxable maximum. For related tax numbers, see our explainer on 2027 tax brackets.
Sources
- IRS: 401(k) contribution limits; IRS Notice 2025-67 (2026 retirement plan limits)
- Third-party projections for 2027 (unofficial)
General information, not investment or tax advice. We will update this article when the IRS publishes the 2027 limits.
