United States · IRS retirement credit
Saver's Match calculator.
See how much free money the federal government could add to your IRA or 401(k) starting with 2027 contributions.
The government matches 50% of your first $2,000 of retirement savings, up to $1,000 a year. The rate starts to shrink above $20,500 of modified AGI (single), $30,750 (head of household) or $41,000 (joint) and hits zero at $35,500, $53,250 and $71,000.
Your inputs
Estimate
How the Saver's Match is calculated
Match = the applicable percentage × the smaller of your qualifying contributions (after the distribution reduction) and $2,000. The applicable percentage is 50%, reduced by one percentage point for every 1/50th of the phase-out range your MAGI is above the starting amount, with the reduction rounded down to a whole point and never below zero.
| Filing status | Full 50% up to | Phase-out range | Match ends at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Married filing jointly / surviving spouse | $41,000 | $30,000 | $71,000 |
| Head of household (3/4 of joint) | $30,750 | $22,500 | $53,250 |
| Single or married filing separately (1/2 of joint) | $20,500 | $15,000 | $35,500 |
Worked example
Single filer, MAGI $28,000, contributes $1,500 to a traditional IRA and took no distributions. MAGI is $7,500 over $20,500, and $7,500 ÷ $15,000 × 50 = 25 percentage points. The rate is 50 − 25 = 25%. Match = 25% × $1,500 = $375, deposited into the IRA.
Same person contributing $2,000 at MAGI $18,000 gets the full 50% on $2,000 = $1,000. A married couple filing jointly at MAGI $50,000 is $9,000 over $41,000, so the rate is 50 − 15 = 35%. If each spouse contributes $2,000, each receives $700, $1,400 in total.
Who is eligible
- You are 18 or older by December 31 of the tax year.
- No one else claims you as a dependent.
- You are not a student as defined in section 152(f)(2).
- You are not a nonresident alien (unless you elect U.S. resident treatment under section 6013(g) or (h)).
- The money goes to a traditional IRA or a pre-tax 401(k)/403(b) you designate. Roth accounts cannot receive it.
Not covered here
This page applies the statute's 2027 dollar amounts. Years after 2027 are inflation-indexed and those amounts are not published. This page does not model how the claim and account designation work on the return; check IRS guidance when it is published. The match is paid by the Treasury after you file, not at the time you contribute.
Official sources: 26 U.S.C. 6433 (Saver's Match) and the enrolled text of Public Law 117-328, Division T, section 103. Rules verified October 1, 2026.
Cite this page: TNAADO Tools. “Saver's Match Calculator.” tools.tnaado.ca/us/savers-match-calculator.html. Statute amounts as of October 1, 2026. Primary source: 26 U.S.C. 6433.
Frequently asked questions
When does the Saver's Match start?
For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026, so 2027 returns filed in 2028. It is section 103 of SECURE 2.0 (Public Law 117-328, Division T), codified at 26 U.S.C. 6433.
How much can I get?
The match is 50% of your first $2,000 of qualified retirement savings contributions, so the most one person can receive is $1,000 a year. The 50% rate falls as modified AGI rises and reaches zero at $35,500 for most single filers, $53,250 for heads of household and $71,000 for joint filers.
Where does the money go?
Into your retirement account, not your bank account. The Treasury pays it as a contribution to a traditional IRA or a pre-tax 401(k)/403(b) account you designate. It cannot go into a Roth IRA or a Roth 401(k). If your match is greater than $0 but under $100, you can elect to take it as an ordinary tax credit instead.
Do I qualify?
You must be 18 or older at the end of the year, not claimed as a dependent on someone else's return, not a student (as defined in section 152(f)(2)) and not a nonresident alien (unless you elect to be treated as a U.S. resident). There is no minimum income, and the statute does not require you to owe any tax.
What contributions count?
IRA contributions, 401(k) and 403(b) elective deferrals, 457(b) elective deferrals and voluntary after-tax employee contributions to a qualified plan. A distribution during the testing period (the tax year, the two years before it and the time up to the return due date) reduces the contributions that count, with exceptions for rollovers, corrective distributions and similar items.
Is my spouse matched too?
Yes. Each spouse who is an eligible individual gets the match on their own first $2,000, using the joint income thresholds. On a joint return, a spouse's distributions are treated as yours when applying the distribution reduction, which this calculator does.
Will the income limits change?
Yes. After 2027 the $41,000 joint figure is increased for inflation and rounded to the nearest $1,000, and the head of household and single figures move with it. Those indexed numbers do not exist yet, so this page shows the statute's 2027 amounts only.
Estimate only
This page is educational and is not tax or investment advice. The program starts with 2027 tax years. Confirm eligibility and amounts with IRS guidance or a qualified tax professional before relying on them.