401k Max-Out Planner
| Starting Oct 1 with | Weekly (13 checks) | Biweekly (7) | Monthly (3) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 contributed | $1,885 | $3,500 | $8,167 |
| $6,000 contributed | $1,423 | $2,643 | $6,167 |
| $12,000 contributed | $962 | $1,786 | $4,167 |
Front-loading feels tidy, but maxing a 401(k) is really a pacing problem: the IRS cap applies to the calendar year, your paychecks don't, and most plans split your match per payroll. This planner counts the paydays actually left between today and December 31 and splits your remaining room — $24,500 for 2026, plus the age-50 catch-up if you're eligible — into an amount per check.
The number updates daily, because the answer in March (about 35 weekly checks) is not the answer in October (13) or December (4). Enter what you've already contributed, your payroll frequency and your age band, and read the per-check figure against the scenario table below — then confirm your plan's per-payroll percentage rounds the way you expect.
How to use
- Enter what you've contributed so far this year (plan portal: year-to-date employee deferrals only).
- Pick your pay frequency and age band — the catch-up tiers are 50+ ($8,000) and 60-63 ($11,250 under SECURE 2.0).
- Read dollars per remaining paycheck; if it exceeds a check, you're on track to cap out early — see the true-up note below.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 2026 401(k) contribution limit?
Employees can defer $24,500 of pay into a 401(k) in 2026. Ages 50 and up add an $8,000 catch-up ($32,500 total), and thanks to SECURE 2.0, ages 60 through 63 get a higher $11,250 catch-up instead ($35,750 total). Employer contributions are extra — they count against a much higher combined limit ($72,000 in 2026), not your $24,500.
Does my employer match count against the $24,500?
No. The $24,500 is the employee deferral limit only. Your employer's match and nonelective contributions count toward the separate, much larger overall additions limit — so you can max your own $24,500 and keep receiving match on top.
Should I contribute evenly or front-load the year?
Even pacing keeps every paycheck match-eligible. If you hit the cap in June on a plan that matches per payroll with no true-up provision, your last two quarterly match drops vanish — read your plan's true-up language before front-loading. With a true-up, front-loading is just earlier tax-advantaged time in the market.
I turn 50 in November — can I use the catch-up all year?
Yes. Catch-up eligibility applies for the whole calendar year in which you turn 50, so a November birthday makes the $8,000 extra available from your first January paycheck.
What happens after I hit the limit?
Deferrals should stop automatically — payroll systems are generally required to cut off at the annual limit (bonus checks are where errors happen). Contributions resume in January against the new year's limit; missed match from a mid-year cutoff is exactly what a true-up correction pays back.