Retirement

401k per paycheck to max calculator 2026

Remaining IRS room to dollars and percent per remaining 2026 paycheck, with true-up versus front-load. Nothing is uploaded.

Your numbers

Age band (age at year-end 2026) Under 50 Ages 50–59 Ages 60–63 Age 64+

Ages 60–63 use the super catch-up. Age 64+ uses the regular $8,000 catch-up, not the super catch-up.

Year-to-date employee deferrals (2026)

Annual salary

Pay frequency

Paychecks remaining in 2026

Default for biweekly as of Aug 26, 2026 is 9. Recalculates when frequency changes unless you edit this field.

Gross pay per remaining check (optional)

If empty, salary ÷ periods per year.

2025 FICA wages / W-2 box 3 (optional)

If over $150,000, 2026 catch-up may have to be Roth.

Employer match

Match formula None 100% of first X% 50% of first X% 100% of first A% + 50% of next B%

Does your plan true-up match? Show both Yes — highlight true-up No — highlight per-check

Both columns stay visible. Highlight is only a reading aid; check the plan document.

Election to set

Enter annual salary to calculate.

Remaining-year employer match

Pace spreads leftover employee room evenly. Front-load fills each remaining check until the personal max, then $0.

Employer match for pace vs front-load, with and without true-up
Strategy	No true-up	True-up
Enter salary to compare match.

How the numbers work

Remaining employee room is the 2026 personal max for your age band minus year-to-date deferrals. Dollars per remaining paycheck = room ÷ checks left. Percent is that dollar amount divided by remaining-check gross (salary ÷ periods per year unless you override it).

Without a true-up, match is calculated on each paycheck. Hit the IRS max mid-year and later checks go to $0 employee deferral — those checks earn no match, so front-loading can forfeit match. With a true-up, the plan typically applies the annual formula to full-year eligible pay and deferrals and deposits any shortfall. Plans differ; read the summary plan description.

2026 limits

Hard-coded from IRS IR-2025-111, the IRS 401(k) limits page, and Notice 2025-67. This page does not invent other figures.

Item	2026
Elective deferral §402(g)	$24,500
Catch-up §414(v), age 50+	$8,000
Super catch-up, ages 60, 61, 62, or 63	$11,250
Personal max, under 50	$24,500
Personal max, ages 50–59 or 64+	$32,500
Personal max, ages 60–63	$35,750
Annual additions §415(c)	$72,000
§415(c) with age-50 catch-up	$80,000
§415(c), ages 60–63	$83,250
Compensation cap §401(a)(17)	$360,000
Roth catch-up wage threshold (prior-year FICA)	$150,000

FAQ

What is the 2026 employee 401(k) max?

Under 50: $24,500. Ages 50–59 or 64+: $32,500 ($24,500 + $8,000 catch-up). Ages 60–63: $35,750 ($24,500 + $11,250 super catch-up). Age is at year-end 2026.

What is a true-up?

A year-end correction so the match formula is applied to annual eligible pay and deferrals, not only paycheck by paycheck. Without one, maxing early can zero later-check match.

I already deferred $24,500. What should I set?

If you are under 50, remaining room is $0 — do not divide by remaining checks. Set employee deferral to 0% unless the YTD figure needs a correction. Catch-up age bands still have room above $24,500.