Tag: 401K

If you're self-employed and not taking full advantage of a SEP IRA or Solo 401(k), you're likely leaving a significant amount of tax-deferred savings on the table every year. I've talked to a lot of freelancers and small business owners over the years who are diligently contributing to a regular…

For 2026, the IRA contribution limit is $7,500 — the first increase from the $7,000 limit that held for 2024 and 2025. Whether you're putting money into a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA, that's your combined ceiling across all IRA accounts. The IRS announced this increase in IR-2025-111, along…

If you've ever had a 401(k) at one job and a 403(b) at the next, you've probably wondered whether the IRS treats them as the same thing. Mostly, yes — 401(k), 403(b), and TSP plans all share one combined $24,500 employee deferral limit for 2026. The exception is the 457(b),…

The Saver's Credit gives lower- and moderate-income workers a direct tax credit — not just a deduction — for contributing to a retirement account. For 2026, the income limits increased across all filing statuses, so more people now qualify than in prior years. The IRS confirmed these thresholds in Notice…

The IRS officially raised retirement plan contribution limits for 2026 in IRS Notice IR-2025-111, announced in November 2025. Most of the increases are driven by COLA adjustments under SECURE 2.0. Here's the full rundown of what changed and what it means for your retirement savings this year. 2026 401(k), 403(b),…

Two major SECURE 2.0 changes took effect in 2026 that most people haven't fully absorbed yet. If you're between 60 and 63, your 401k catch-up limit jumped to $11,250 — significantly more than the $8,000 available to other workers over 50. And if you earned more than $150,000 last year,…

One of the biggest hassles when changing jobs used to be around what to do with your old 401(k). It sat wherever you left it until you got around to dealing with it — or, if the balance was small enough, your former employer quietly cashed it out and mailed…

The IRS set the 2026 employee 401(k) contribution limit at $24,500 — up $1,000 from $23,500 in 2025. If you're 50 or older, you can add another $8,000 in catch-up contributions for a total of $32,500. And if you're between 60 and 63, a SECURE 2.0 super catch-up provision lets…

If you're self-employed or running a small business, the retirement account options available to you are frankly better than what most corporate employees get — and most people don't fully take advantage of them. I hear from a lot of small business owners who are using a regular Roth or…

Knowing the exact age at which something happens to your retirement accounts is more valuable than most general planning advice. Miss an RMD at 73 and you're looking at a 25% penalty. Claim Social Security two years too early and that reduction follows you for life. Here's a clear map…

The safest way to move an old 401(k) into an IRA is a direct, trustee-to-trustee transfer. The money never touches your hands, so the 20% withholding and the 60-day deadline never come into play. Take the check yourself instead and two things happen at once. Your old plan withholds 20%…

Boosting retirement savings isn't about finding one clever trick — it's mostly about using the accounts and incentives already available to you more fully than you currently are. Here are ten concrete ways to do that in 2026. 1. Get Your Full Employer Match If your employer offers a 401(k)…

If you're staring at your 401(k) balance wondering how to get at it before retirement, you've got three real options: a loan, a hardship withdrawal, or one of several penalty exceptions Congress has added over the years. They work very differently, and mixing them up is an expensive mistake. I…