2024 retirement plan contribution limits

Review the tables below to understand the 2024 retirement plan limits and IRS cost of living adjustments.

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Retirement plan limits

• Elective deferral limit: maximum contribution that can be made on a pre-tax basis to a 401(k) or 403(b) plan.
• Annual benefit limit: maximum annual benefit that can be paid to a participant (IRC section 415). Applied limit is the lesser of the dollar limit above or 100% of the participant's average compensation (generally the high three consecutive years of service). The participant compensation level is also subjected to the annual compensation limit.
• Annual contribution limit: maximum annual contribution amount that can be made to a participant's account (IRC section 415). Limit is expressed as the lesser of the dollar limit or 100% of the participant's compensation, applied to the combination of employee contributions, employer contributions, and forfeitures allocated to a participant's account.
• Annual compensation limit: In calculating contribution allocations, a plan cannot consider any employee compensation in excess of this limit. In calculating certain nondiscrimination tests, all participant compensation is limited to this amount.
• 457 deferral limit: Similar restriction, applied to certain government plans (457 plans).
• Highly compensated threshold (section 414(q)(1)(B)): minimum compensation level established to determine highly compensated employees for purposes of nondiscrimination testing.
• SIMPLE contribution limit: maximum annual contribution that can be made to a SIMPLE (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees) plan. SIMPLE plans are simplified retirement plans for small businesses that allow employees to make elective contributions, while requiring employers to make matching or non-elective contributions.
• SEP coverage limit: minimum earning level for self-employed individual to qualify for coverage by a Simplified Employee Pension plan (a special individual retirement account to which the employer makes direct tax-deductible contributions.
• SEP compensation limit: applied in determining the maximum contributions made to the plan.
• Catch-up contributions, SIMPLE catch-up deferral: Under the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Act of 2001 (EGTRRA), certain individuals aged 50 or over can make catch up contributions.

IRS cost-of-living adjustments