Worried You Don’t Have Enough Money to Retire? New Rules in ’26 Make It Easier to Catch Up

Change is life’s only constant, the Greek philosopher Heraclitus once observed. More than 2,000 years later, the premise still holds — for topics from the seismic to the mundane, like saving money for retirement.

And while change is often unsettling, many of the alterations in rules governing retirement accounts that take effect in 2026 can simplify building up the savings necessary to live the life you want when you stop working full-time. Here’s a look at the new standards and how they might affect your plans:

Catch-Up Contributions to Workplace Plans

Once you’re 50 or older, you can make higher pre-tax contributions to retirement account(s) such as 401(k)s, 403(b)s and governmental 457s than younger savers. The limit for catch-up contributions — designed to give a tax break to people who are closer to retirement and have a more pressing need to prepare for it — has increased from $7,500 in 2025 to $8,000 in 2026. That’s on top of an increase in the cap for pre-tax retirement savings overall, which climbs to $24,500, up from $23,000 for 2025. 

‘Super’ Catch-Up Contributions

A catch-up strategy can be particularly beneficial for people who may have delayed saving for retirement or are behind on their savings goals. For people in either camp aged 60 to 63, as of 2025, you can make what are known as “super” catch-up contributions to your retirement account, thanks to the SECURE ACT 2.0, which was signed into law by then-President Biden in December 2022. Under this piece of legislation, you can contribute an additional $11,250 to your 401(k), 403(b) or governmental 457 plan, significantly higher than the standard catch-up limit. The super contribution limit will remain the same for 2026. 

The Roth Requirement

While retirement catch-up contribution limits have increased for 2026, there is a new wrinkle under SECURE 2.0 for savers who are considered “high-income earners.” Under that provision, as of Jan. 1, 2026, employees ages 50 (by Dec. 31, 2025) or older who earn over $150,000 in wages are required to make catch-up contributions to their employer-sponsored plans through a Roth IRA, meaning taxes will be withdrawn first. Those who earned $150,000 or less in 2025 can continue making catch-up contributions to their regular pre-tax 401(k)s. The Roth requirement applies only to employer-sponsored plans; standard IRAs are not affected. 

Additional 2026 Limitations

If you’re contributing to Roth IRAs, the Saver’s Credit and/or SIMPLE retirement accounts, here are some additional limitations and items of note in 2026:

• The income phase-out range for taxpayers making contributions to a Roth IRA increases to $153,000 to $168,000 for singles and heads of household, while the range for married couples filing jointly rises to $242,000 to $252,000. People making less than the lower end of the phase-out range are allowed a full tax deduction for their contributions, those earning within the range are allowed limited deductions and those making more than the upper limit may receive no benefit.
• As of 2026, the income limit for the Saver’s Credit (also known as the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit) for low- and middle-income workers will be $80,500 for married couples filing jointly, $60,375 for heads of household and $40,250 for singles and married individuals filing separately. 
• The amount individuals can generally contribute to their SIMPLE retirement accounts has been elevated to $17,000 for 2026. Under changes made in SECURE 2.0, individuals can also contribute up to $18,100 to certain applicable SIMPLE retirement accounts — typically those available to companies with 25 or fewer employees — in the upcoming year. 

The 2026 contribution guidelines could be a boon to those trying to gain traction with retirement savings plans. However, each retirement account, whether it’s a 401(k) or a Roth IRA, has its own contribution and catch-up limits, rules and provisions. To help ensure that you’re making the right decisions and your goals are met, it can be helpful to confer with a financial planner/advisor, the account manager, or the HR director for your employer-sponsored plan.