U.S. · 2026 tax year
Max 401(k) per paycheck calculator.
Enter your age, your contributions so far and the paychecks left in 2026 to see the per-paycheck amount that reaches the limit.
For 2026 you can defer $24,500 into a 401(k). Add $8,000 if you turn 50 or older, or $11,250 instead if you are 60 to 63. Divide what is left by the paychecks left to get your per-paycheck amount.
"Max out your 401(k)" is easy to say and hard to schedule. The limit is a calendar-year number, but you pay in per-paycheck slices, and by October most people have already contributed an uneven amount. This page starts from what you have actually contributed so far and tells you the dollar amount, and the share of pay, that finishes the year at the limit.
Your numbers
Result
How this is calculated
Your limit is the elective deferral limit of $24,500 plus a catch-up if you qualify: $8,000 if you are 50 or older, or $11,250 if you are 60, 61, 62 or 63 at any point in 2026 (Notice 2025-67). Room left is the limit minus what you have already deferred. Per paycheck is room left divided by the paychecks you still have, as of October 26, 2026.
Only your own deferrals count. Employer matching and profit-sharing do not use up the $24,500, but total additions to one plan are capped at $72,000 under section 415(c), so a very large match can matter for high earners.
Worked example
Age 40, $20,000 contributed, six paychecks left, $4,000 gross each. Room left is $4,500, so you need $750 per paycheck, which is 18.75% of a $4,000 paycheck.
Age 61, $25,000 contributed, six paychecks left. The limit is $24,500 + $11,250 = $35,750, room left is $10,750, so the amount is $1,791.67 per paycheck.
Limits of this estimate
Your plan may cap the percentage you can elect, may not offer catch-up contributions and may stop the match once you hit the limit. Changes to a payroll election usually take one or two pay cycles to start, so allow for that when you count paychecks left. Taxes are not modeled: a pre-tax deferral lowers take-home pay by less than its face amount.
Sources
Primary sources opened and checked on October 26, 2026. Figures are for tax year 2026 unless a source says otherwise.
Common mix-ups
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Often assumedMaxing my 401(k) means my contributions plus my employer match have to fit in $24,500.
What the source saysIRS Notice 2025-67 sets $24,500 as the limit on your own elective deferrals. Employer contributions are measured against a separate limit on total additions, $72,000 for 2026. [1]
Checked against these sources on .
Frequently asked questions
What is the 401(k) limit for 2026?
$24,500 for employee elective deferrals, up from $23,500 in 2025 (IRS Notice 2025-67).
What is the 401(k) catch-up for 2026?
$8,000 if you are 50 or older. If you turn 60, 61, 62 or 63 in 2026 it is $11,250 instead of $8,000.
Does my employer match count toward the $24,500?
No. The limit applies to your own deferrals. Employer contributions count toward the separate $72,000 total additions limit under section 415(c).
Do I need to contribute evenly each paycheck?
No, but some plans pay the match per paycheck and do not true it up. If you front-load and hit the limit early, you could lose match in the remaining paychecks. Ask your plan.
What if I have two jobs with 401(k) plans?
The $24,500 limit is per person across all plans, so add your contributions from both employers before you decide how much to put in.
Must my catch-up contributions be Roth?
Notice 2025-67 sets a $150,000 threshold: if your 2025 wages from this employer were above it, your 2026 catch-up contributions must be designated Roth.
Not tax advice
This page is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Tax rules change and your facts may differ. Confirm anything that matters with the IRS, a CPA or an enrolled agent before you act. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.