How Many Catch-Up Elections Are There in 2026?

Q: With the addition of the age 60-63 “super” catch-up, how many catch-up elections now exist in the retirement plan universe?

Kimberly Boberg, Kelly Geloneck, Emily Gerard and David Levine, with Groom Law Group, and Michael A. Webb, senior financial adviser at CAPTRUST, answer:

A: There are now four catch-up elections to increase deferrals to various types of retirement plans:

1. Age 50 Catch-Up: For 403(b), 401(k) and governmental 457(b) plans, this permits individuals age 50 or older (as of the end of the year of deferral) to defer up to an additional $8,000 in 2026. This limit is indexed for inflation each year.
2. Age 60 to 63 Catch-Up: For 403(b), 401(k) and governmental 457(b) plans, this permits individuals age 60-63 (as of the end of the year of deferral) to defer up to an additional $11,250 in 2026, instead of the age-50 catch-up deferral of $8,000. This limit is indexed for inflation each year.
3. 15-Year Catch-Up: For certain 403(b) plans only, this permits certain individuals who have under-contributed in prior years to defer up to an additional $3,000 each year (subject to a $15,000 lifetime limit).
4. 3-Year Catch-Up: For 457(b) plans only, this permits certain individuals who have under-contributed in prior years to defer up to twice the elective deferral limit (an additional $24,500, for a total deferral of $49,000 in 2026) in each of the three calendar years prior to the normal retirement age specified in the plan. This limit cannot be used in combination with the age 50 or age 60-63 catch-ups.

NOTE: This feature is to provide general information only, does not constitute legal advice and cannot be used or substituted for legal or tax advice.

Do YOU have a question for the Experts? If so, we would love to hear from you! Simply forward your question to Amy.Resnick@issmarketintelligence.com with Subject: Ask the Experts, and the Experts will do their best to answer your question in a future column.