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Know your limits (and maximize your savings).
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Among the many vexing aspects of retirement savings accounts and other tax-advantaged accounts is the challenge of keeping straight how much you’re allowed to save in each one. It doesn’t help that contribution limits often change, or adjust for inflation, as they just did for 2024.
Here’s a primer on the current contribution limits for the most common tax-advantaged savings accounts for retirement, college, and medical expenses.
Key Points
- For 401(k) and 403(b) accounts, the 2024 contribution limit is $23,000, with a $7,500 catch-up contribution limit for savers age 50 and over.
- For traditional and Roth IRA plans, the contribution limit is $7,000, plus the $1,000 catch-up limit.
- Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) have a 2024 contribution limit of $4,150 (individual) or $8,300 (family), and the $1,000 catch-up contribution kicks in at age 55.
Why are there contribution limits?
You may be wondering why there are limits on how much you can save in different accounts. Putting aside the fact that many people never contribute the maximum amounts to their individual retirement account (IRA) or 401(k) plans, why not simply let everyone save as much as they can?
Think of contribution limits as a sort of compromise. Saving is a challenge for most of us. The IRS makes the job easier with tax-deferred and tax-deductible accounts. But realistically, Uncle Sam doesn’t want you shielding too much of your income from taxation—especially those with higher incomes. Essentially, that’s why there are limits.
It’s also why there are well-defined rules for when and why you must pay taxes on withdrawals from certain accounts, including what the penalties might be if you break them. Knowing these parameters is another key aspect of understanding contribution limits rules.
2024 contribution limits table
Contribution limits—and catch-up provisions for savers over age 50—vary greatly with each type of account, as do the tax implications. And given that many contribution limits just changed for 2024, be sure to check IRS.gov if you aren’t 100% sure.
| Account | 2024 contribution limits | Catch-up provision for those over age 50 | Income limits or other considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 401(k) | $23,000 | $7,500 | Annual compensation limit: $345,000. Total employee and employer contributions: $69,000. |
| 403(b) | $23,000 | $7,500 | Total employee and employer contributions: $69,000. (Additional contributions may be allowed with 15 years of service; check with your plan administrator.) |
| Traditional IRA | $7,000 | $1,000 | No income limit as long as the taxpayer or spouse aren’t covered by a retirement plan at work; 6% penalty for over-contributing. |
| Roth IRA | $7,000 | $1,000 | Annual income cannot exceed MAGI of $161,000 (single)/$240,000 (married, filing jointly). 6% penalty for over-contributing. |
| SEP-IRA | Cannot exceed the lesser of 25% of compensation or $69,000. | None | Based on the first $345,000 of compensation. |
| Health Savings Account (HSA) | $4,150, individual; $8,300, family. | $1,000 individual OR family coverage. | Catch-up provision begins at 55. |
| 529 College Savings Plan | Maximum account balance/annual contribution varies by state. Some states offer a tax deduction for 529 contributions; some don’t. Be sure to check individual plan rules. | N/A | Giving $18,000 or less to an individual qualifies for annual gift tax exclusion (up from $17,000 in 2023). Married couples can give a combined $36,000. |
401(k) and 403(b) retirement accounts
Both 401(k) and 403(b) accounts have high annual contributions limits. In 2024, employees can contribute up to $23,000, tax deferred, to these plans. Employees over the age of 50 have the option of contributing an extra $8,000, which means the contribution limit for these individuals is $31,000.
Beginning in 2025, the SECURE Act 2.0 will raise the catch-up provision to $10,000 for savers between ages 60 and 63.
People who work for companies that offer a match on their contributions can push these limits even higher. For the 401(k), the total employer plus employee contribution limit in 2024 is $69,000, or 100% of the employee’s compensation, whichever is less.
If your salary is $345,000 or more, there are restrictions on contributions to retirement accounts, although you can still contribute the full catch-up amount if you are 50 or older.
Remember that all contributions to traditional 401(k) and 403(b) plans are tax deferred. This means you’ll owe ordinary income tax on withdrawals you take in retirement (or early withdrawals).
Traditional and Roth IRAs
Individual retirement account (IRA) contribution limits are much lower than 401(k) limits. In 2024, the maximum contribution to traditional or Roth IRAs is $7,000, with a $1,000 catch-up option if you are 50 or older.
Importantly, these contribution limits apply even if you have a traditional and a Roth IRA. You can split the maximum contribution between the two accounts. For example, if you contribute $2,500 to your traditional IRA, you can only contribute $4,500 to your Roth IRA, for a total of $7,000.
It’s also important to understand the income limits. As long as neither you nor your spouse has a workplace retirement savings account such as a 401(k), you can contribute the maximum to a traditional IRA no matter how much money you earn. However, there are income restrictions governing Roth IRA contributions.
In 2024, if you are married and file a joint tax return, you can’t fund a Roth IRA if your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is $230,000 or more. And if you earn between $220,000 and $230,000 jointly, you can contribute to a Roth, but the amount is reduced. For single taxpayers, the income phaseout begins at $146,000; with a single income over $161,000, you can’t fund a Roth IRA at all.
It’s possible to contribute significantly more to a Roth IRA by converting funds from a traditional IRA, 401(k), or 403(b) through what’s called a “backdoor” Roth IRA or Roth conversion. There are no contribution limits on Roth conversions, although it’s important to remember that any funds transferred will be taxed before they land in the Roth.
Remember that all contributions to traditional IRAs are tax deferred. This means you’ll owe taxes on withdrawals you take in retirement. Contributions to Roth IRAs are taxed before they are invested, and withdrawals are tax free.
SEP-IRAs
A Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plan differs from most retirement accounts in that it’s designed for small businesses and those who are self-employed. The SEP-IRA is relatively easy to set up, the costs are low, and depending on your income level, the contribution limit can be substantially higher than that of a traditional IRA.
You, as the employee, do not make contributions to a SEP-IRA; your employer funds a SEP (but, of course, if you’re self-employed, you are the employer). The account is in your name, but it’s up to your employer (you, if you’re self-employed) to decide each year’s contribution. Contributions are tax deductible and they vest immediately.
In 2024, an employer can contribute up to $69,000, or 25% of an employee’s total compensation, whichever is less. There are factors that affect eligibility, such as how long you have worked for the company and how much you earn.
Are you ready to retire? Check out the retirement calculator in this article to help you figure out how much to save and how long your savings might last.
HSAs
Health Savings Accounts are an unusual hybrid. You must have a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) in order to be eligible for an HSA, and withdrawals must be used for qualified medical expenses in order to remain tax (and penalty) free, but the tax benefits exceed almost every other type of account covered here.
- You can fund an HSA every year.
- The contribution amounts for HSAs in 2024 are $4,150 for individuals and $8,300 for family coverage.
- There is a $1,000 catch-up contribution if you’re over 55.
- There are no “use it or lose it” rules for an HSA. All your unspent contributions roll over every year, and you keep the account even when you change jobs. (This is in contrast to a flexible spending account or FSA, which typically requires the money be spent each year or remaining funds are forfeit.)
In order to qualify as a high-deductible health plan, the annual deductible must be at least $1,600 for individuals and $3,200 for families. Your health plan’s out-of-pocket expenses can’t exceed $8,050 if you have sole coverage, or $16,100 if you cover your family in 2024.
HSAs provide a triple tax benefit. Your contributions are tax deductible; the money can be invested and earnings are tax free; and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are tax free. Just make sure you only withdraw funds for those qualified medical expenses. If you take the money out for other expenses, you’ll have to pay tax on the withdrawals. And if you are 64 or younger, you’ll owe taxes and a 20% penalty on nonqualified withdrawals. Ouch.
529 college savings plans
Now here’s another interesting tax-advantaged account. These 529 accounts grow tax free, and when the beneficiary uses the funds for qualified education expenses, no additional taxes are due. Unlike retirement plans and HSAs, the IRS doesn’t have specific annual contribution limits for 529 plans. Each state has its own rules for total aggregate contributions and 529 account maximum balances. Of course, because the money needs to be used for qualified education expenses, you’ll only want to save as much as can reasonably be spent on education.
That said, because 529 contributions count as gifts (yes, even though they’re for education-related expenses), they’re governed by gift tax rules. So for 2024, individuals can deposit up to $18,000 in a student’s 529 plan (married couples can give a combined $36,000) and stay within the gift tax exclusion.
If you contribute more than $18,000 per year, you’ll have to file form 709 with the IRS noting the excess gift amount, which then counts toward your lifetime gift tax exclusion.
The five-year election. If you wish to make a larger, one-time contribution to a 529 account (up to a maximum of $90,000), this can be done as a five-year election. The amount is a one-time deposit, but for gift tax reporting, it’s treated as if it were spread over five years.
It’s important to note that 529 contributions are not tax deductible at the federal level. Some states do allow for tax deductions, however, so it’s important to check the rules that apply for your home state.
The bottom line
No one wishes to outlive their money during their retirement years. The government doesn’t want you to run out of funds, either, nor do they want you to be saddled by excessive medical bills or college debt. That’s why these tax-advantaged plans—401(k)s, 403(b)s, IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEPs, HSAs, and 529s—exist.
But they’re not meant to be unlimited tax shelters for the mega-wealthy. That’s why there are annual contribution limits (and for some, income limits as well). Learn the limits, then strive to contribute as much as you can within them.
