Workplace retirement savings
403(b) and 401(k) Calculator
Historical S&P 500: ~10% nominal / ~7% inflation-adjusted
4% rule = standard; 3% = more conservative
2026 contribution limits
These come from IRS Notice 2025-67, published in November 2025. Nearly every figure rose from 2025.
| Your age in 2026 | Employee limit | Made up of |
|---|---|---|
| Under 50 | $24,500 | Standard deferral |
| 50 to 59 | $32,500 | $24,500 + $8,000 catch-up |
| 60 to 63 | $35,750 | $24,500 + $11,250 super catch-up |
| 64 and over | $32,500 | $24,500 + $8,000 catch-up |
The 60-to-63 window is easy to miss
SECURE 2.0 created a larger catch-up for people who are 60, 61, 62 or 63 during the year — $11,250 instead of $8,000. It drops back to the normal catch-up at 64. If you are in that age band, this is four years to put away an extra $3,250 a year that you will not get again.
The total that can go into a defined contribution account from all sources — your deferrals, employer contributions and any after-tax money — is capped at $72,000 for 2026, up from $70,000. Compensation counted toward plan contributions is capped at $360,000.
The new Roth catch-up rule
Starting with 2026, if your wages from that employer in the prior year exceeded $150,000, your catch-up contributions must be made as Roth — after-tax — rather than pre-tax. The threshold was $145,000 before indexing.
There is a timing wrinkle worth knowing. The statutory mandate applies to 2026, but the IRS final regulations generally apply to contributions in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026, with a later date for certain governmental and collectively bargained plans. In practice 2026 is running on reasonable good-faith compliance, and plans differ in how they have implemented it. Ask your plan administrator rather than assuming.
403(b) versus 401(k) versus 457(b)
The contribution limits are identical. The differences that matter are elsewhere.
- 403(b) plans are for public schools, universities, hospitals and certain non-profits. Historically they were sold heavily by insurance companies, and many still carry annuity products with high fees and surrender charges. Check what you are actually invested in.
- 401(k) plans are the private-sector standard and generally have the strongest fiduciary oversight and the cheapest index fund options.
- 457(b) plans, common for state and local government, have one significant advantage: no 10% early withdrawal penalty once you separate from service, at any age. If you plan to retire before 59½, that is a real benefit.
- The TSP, for federal employees, has among the lowest expense ratios of any retirement plan in the country.
If you have both a 403(b) and a 457(b), you get two limits
The $24,500 elective deferral limit applies separately to each. A public employee with access to both can defer $49,000 in 2026, or more with catch-ups. This is one of the most underused benefits in public-sector employment.
Fees matter more than most people believe
A one percentage point difference in annual fees does not cost you one percent. Compounded across a career it typically costs a fifth to a quarter of the final balance.
$500/month for 30 years at 7% gross return
- At 0.10% annual fee (index fund)
- $601,000
- At 1.00% annual fee
- $509,000
- At 1.75% annual fee (typical 403(b) annuity)
- $447,000
- Cost of the high-fee option
- about $154,000
These figures are illustrative, using a constant return that no real market delivers, but the direction and rough magnitude are reliable. If your 403(b) is with an insurance company, find the expense ratio and any surrender charge before assuming it is fine.
What the calculator assumes
It uses a constant annual return applied to contributions made evenly through each year, with no fees deducted unless you build them into the return you enter. Real markets are volatile and the order in which returns arrive matters, particularly in the years just before and after you retire. Use it to see the shape of the outcome, not to predict a balance.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 403(b) contribution limit for 2026?+
$24,500 for employees under 50. Those 50 and older can add an $8,000 catch-up for $32,500 total. People who are 60, 61, 62 or 63 during 2026 can use the larger SECURE 2.0 catch-up of $11,250 for $35,750 total.
Can I contribute to both a 403(b) and a 457(b)?+
Yes, and the elective deferral limit applies separately to each. In 2026 that means up to $49,000 across the two before catch-up contributions. Many public employees have access to both and use only one.
Do my catch-up contributions have to be Roth now?+
If your prior-year wages from that employer exceeded $150,000, yes, under SECURE 2.0. The statutory mandate applies to 2026, though the IRS final regulations generally apply from 2027 with a later date for some governmental and collectively bargained plans. Confirm with your plan administrator.
What is the total 401(k) limit including employer contributions?+
$72,000 for 2026, up from $70,000. That covers your deferrals, all employer contributions and any after-tax contributions combined.
Is a 457(b) better than a 403(b) for early retirement?+
For withdrawals before 59½, generally yes. Governmental 457(b) distributions are not subject to the 10% early withdrawal penalty once you separate from service, at any age. A 403(b) usually is.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from one of the following. Where a plan does not publish a number we needed, the page says so rather than guessing.
- IRS Notice 2025-67 — 2026 contribution and catch-up limits
- IRS — 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026 — announcement of the 2026 figures
- IRS — Retirement topics, catch-up contributions — Roth catch-up wage threshold
- IRS — COLA increases for dollar limitations — 415(c) and 401(a)(17) limits
- TSP — Summary of the Thrift Savings Plan — federal employee plan and matching
Keep reading
Roth IRA
2026 limits, income phase-outs and whether you can contribute at all.
Roth vs Traditional
Which tax treatment wins given your current and expected retirement tax rates.
FERS and the TSP
How the agency match works and why 5% is the number that matters.
Combined income
Add savings to your pension and Social Security for a full picture.
Plan data on this page was last checked against the system’s own published material on September 19, 2026. Retirement systems change their rules; if you spot something out of date, tell us.