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Four-panel full-color educational finance comic. Panel 1: age-50-plus catch-up jar labeled $8,000 after $24,500 elective deferral. Panel 2: ages turning 60 to 63 jar labeled $11,250 SECURE 2.0. Panel 3: SIMPLE catch-up $4,000 and ages 60–63 SIMPLE $5,250 chalkboard. Panel 4: 2026 Roth catch-up required if prior-year wages exceeded $150,000 sticky, ceiling not advice.
Four panels: $8,000 age-50+ catch-up jar, $11,250 ages 60–63 jar, SIMPLE $4,000 / $5,250 chalkboard, Roth catch-up $150k wage sticky. Educational only. · Comic: Topics / Drew’s Comic Newsroom. Source: IRS.

Finance

2026 catch-up ceilings: $8,000 standard, $11,250 for ages 60–63

What happened

The IRS retirement-topics page on catch-up contributions lists the 2026 age-50-and-over catch-up generally as $8,000 for most 401(k) plans (other than SIMPLE 401(k)), 403(b) plans, SARSEP, governmental 457(b) plans, and the federal Thrift Savings Plan — and elective deferrals are not treated as catch-up until they exceed the $24,500 elective-deferral limit for 2026 (or an applicable ADP or plan limit). Under SECURE 2.0, a higher catch-up applies for employees who turn 60, 61, 62, or 63 in the calendar year: for 2026 that higher limit is $11,250 instead of $8,000 on those same plan types. Those are published contribution ceilings — not targets and not advice to contribute anything.

SIMPLE IRA and SIMPLE 401(k) plans may permit catch-up contributions up to $4,000 in 2026, with a SECURE 2.0 higher SIMPLE catch-up of $5,250 for ages turning 60–63. Traditional and Roth IRA catch-up contributions are listed at $1,100 for 2026. Beginning in 2026, participants in plans with Roth features that offer catch-up contributions must make those catch-ups on a Roth basis if prior-year wages with the plan sponsor exceeded $150,000. Educational finance only. No tickers. No “max this.” Ceilings, not a recommendation.

Educational finance here labels published caps so a reader can find them on IRS.gov instead of on a slideshow. The comic is the $8,000 jar, the $11,250 ages-60–63 jar, the SIMPLE chalkboard, and a sticky that says ceiling not advice. Color on the jars and the chalk. White gutters.

Why it matters

A catch-up limit is a different animal from the elective-deferral base. Prior days filed Roth phase-outs and other COLA lids. Today’s board is who can still look at catch-up dollars under the 2026 age and plan lines: $8,000 standard, $11,250 for ages 60–63, SIMPLE $4,000 / $5,250, IRA $1,100, and the new Roth catch-up wage gate at $150,000 prior-year wages. Keep politics out. Keep the source URL on the page.

Conclusion

For 2026, age-50+ catch-up is generally $8,000 after the $24,500 elective deferral, ages turning 60–63 get a higher $11,250 catch-up under SECURE 2.0, SIMPLE catch-ups are $4,000 ($5,250 for ages 60–63), IRA catch-up is $1,100, and Roth catch-up is required when prior-year wages with the sponsor exceeded $150,000, as the IRS prints them. Source: https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-catch-up-contributions

Source: IRS