401(k) Per-Paycheck Max-Out Calculator (2026)
2026 limit: $24,500.
Employee deferrals only (pre-tax plus Roth). Employer match does not count toward this limit. Check your latest pay stub.
Paydays are counted from this date through December 31 of that year.
Filled in from your payday. Change it if your calendar has an extra check or a skipped one.
Optional. Leave at 0 if you do not have a match.
2026 limits used here
| Your age | Employee limit |
|---|---|
| Under 50 | $24,500 |
| 50 – 59 and 64+ | $32,500 ($24,500 + $8,000 catch-up) |
| 60 – 63 | $35,750 ($24,500 + $11,250 higher catch-up) |
Your plan must offer catch-up contributions. If you earned more than $150,000 from the plan's employer last year, catch-up contributions generally have to be Roth. Ask your plan administrator. Your plan may also cap the percent of pay you can defer, which can make a late-year catch-up impossible.
Rules last verified: October 9, 2026, against the IRS news release announcing the 2026 401(k) limits ($24,500; $8,000 catch-up; $11,250 for ages 60 to 63) and IRS Notice 2025-67.
Educational estimate, not financial or tax advice. Front-loading contributions early in the year can mean missing employer match in later months if your plan matches per paycheck without a true-up, so check your plan's match rules before changing your rate. Going over the limit can cause tax problems; watch your year-to-date total if you change jobs.
See how much to contribute from each remaining paycheck, in dollars and as a percent of pay, to reach your 2026 401(k) limit by December 31, with catch-up amounts for ages 50+ and 60 to 63.
How it works
- Pick your age group, enter what you have contributed so far, and choose how often you are paid
- Set your next payday so the calculator counts how many paychecks are left in 2026
- Read the dollars and percent of pay to set aside from each remaining paycheck, and compare it with an even start in January
Frequently asked questions
What is the 2026 401(k) contribution limit?
$24,500 for employee deferrals. People 50 and older can add an $8,000 catch-up, and people age 60, 61, 62 or 63 can add a higher $11,250 catch-up instead, if the plan allows it. Source: IRS news release announcing the 2026 limits and IRS Notice 2025-67.
Is the 60 to 63 catch-up added on top of the regular catch-up?
No. It replaces the regular $8,000 catch-up, so the maximum is $24,500 + $11,250 = $35,750. At 64 you go back to the regular $8,000 catch-up.
Does the employer match count toward the limit?
No. The $24,500 limit covers only your own deferrals, pre-tax and Roth combined. Employer contributions fall under a separate, larger overall limit.
Should I front-load my contributions?
Be careful. If your plan matches contributions each pay period without a true-up at year end, reaching the limit early can stop the match for the rest of the year. Check your plan's match rules.
Why can't I contribute enough in the last few paychecks?
Many plans cap the percent of pay you can defer, and a paycheck can only be reduced by what it contains. If the per-paycheck amount shown is above about half of your pay, ask your plan administrator whether it is possible.
What about the Roth catch-up rule?
Starting in 2026, if your prior-year wages from the plan sponsor were above $150,000, catch-up contributions generally must be made as Roth. This changes the tax treatment, not the dollar limit. Ask your plan administrator how it applies to you.
Related tools
From the blog
Update history
- 2026-10-09 Launched: per-paycheck 401(k) max-out calculator for 2026 with catch-up limits and paychecks counted from your next payday.