Key takeaways
- From the year you turn 50, you can add $8,000 to a 401(k), 403(b), or governmental 457(b) above the regular $24,500 limit in 2026.
- If you turn 60, 61, 62, or 63 this year, the 401(k) catch-up is $11,250 instead.
- IRA savers 50 and older can add $1,100 on top of the $7,500 IRA limit.
- Maxing the 401(k) catch-up from 50 to 65 at a 7% return adds about $201,032 by retirement, from $120,000 of contributions.
Catch-up contributions let people 50 and older save more in tax-advantaged accounts than younger workers can. They exist for a simple reason: many people’s peak saving years come late, after kids leave home or a mortgage shrinks.
The 2026 limits by age
Age is your age on December 31. You don’t need to wait for your birthday.
| Under 50 | 50–59, or 64+ | 60–63 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 401(k), 403(b), gov’t 457(b), TSP | $24,500 | $32,500 | $35,750 |
| SIMPLE IRA / SIMPLE 401(k) | $17,000 | $21,000 | $22,250 |
| Traditional + Roth IRA (combined) | $7,500 | $8,600 | $8,600 |
The catch-up amounts are separate from your employer’s contributions. Employer money counts toward the overall cap of $72,000, and catch-ups are allowed on top of that cap too. All the account types are on our 2026 401(k) and IRA limits page.
The age 60–63 “super catch-up”
SECURE 2.0 added a bigger catch-up for the four years that people turn 60 through 63. In 2026 that’s $11,250, which is $3,250 more than the regular catch-up. The year you turn 64, it drops back to the standard $8,000.
It’s a narrow window, so it’s worth planning for. If you’re in your late 50s, look at whether your budget can absorb a higher contribution rate for those four years. Those are often high-earning years, when the tax deduction is worth the most.
The new Roth rule for higher earners
Starting in 2026, if your FICA wages from your employer were more than $150,000 in the prior year, your 401(k) catch-up contributions must go in as Roth (after-tax) contributions. Your regular contributions can still be pre-tax.
What that means in practice:
- You lose the upfront tax deduction on the catch-up portion, but those dollars and their growth come out tax-free in retirement if qualified.
- If your plan doesn’t offer a Roth option, it can’t accept catch-up contributions from affected employees at all. Ask HR.
- The threshold uses wages from that employer on your prior-year W-2 (Box 3), not your total income.
What catching up is worth
Suppose you add the regular $8,000 401(k) catch-up every year from 50 to 65, earning 7% a year. Those $120,000 of extra contributions grow to about $201,032 by 65. That’s on top of whatever your regular contributions build. The $1,100 IRA catch-up over the same years adds about $27,642.
Those figures hold the limits flat. In practice the IRS raises the catch-up limits with inflation over time, so the real number could be higher.
Should you prioritize catch-ups?
Catch-ups are worth it if your basics are covered. A rough order that works for many people:
- Contribute enough to get the full employer match. See how the 401(k) match works.
- Keep an emergency fund and pay off high-interest debt.
- Max out regular contributions, then add catch-ups, choosing Roth or traditional based on your tax rate now versus later. See Roth vs. traditional.
If you’re behind on retirement savings in your 50s, catch-ups are one of the few levers that are both large and tax-advantaged. Working a few more years or delaying Social Security are the others. How much do I need to retire? shows how they compare.