2027 401(k) & IRA Limits: What Every Forecaster Expects (and What to Do Before They’re Official)

The IRS has not published the 2027 retirement limits yet — but September’s inflation data is now final, and two independent actuarial forecasts land on the exact same numbers: a $25,500 401(k) limit is coming. Here is the full projected 2027 table, what is already official, what it means at your life stage — and the one thing you must not do until the IRS notice lands in November.

The short answer

The IRS sets next year’s 401(k), IRA and related limits in late October or November, once September inflation data is in. September’s CPI-U came in at 3.7% year-on-year (released 14 October 2026), and actuarial firms Milliman and Marsh — working independently — now project $25,500 as the 2027 employee 401(k) deferral limit, up $1,000 from 2026’s $24,500. Until the IRS publishes its official notice, these are projections, not rules. Treat them as a planning target, not a locked-in figure.

The 2027 table: 2026 official vs 2027 projected

Limit	2026 (official)	2027	Status
401(k) / 403(b) / 457(b) / TSP employee deferral	$24,500	$25,500	Projected
Catch-up, age 50 and over	$8,000	$8,500	Projected
Super catch-up, ages 60 to 63	$11,250	$11,750	Projected
Total (employee + employer)	$72,000	$75,000	Projected
Annual compensation cap	$360,000	$375,000	Projected
Roth catch-up wage threshold (prior-year wages)	$150,000	$155,000	Projected
IRA (traditional + Roth combined)	$7,500	$7,500	Projected to hold
IRA catch-up, age 50 and over	$1,100	$1,100	Projected to hold
HSA, self-only / family	$4,400 / $8,750	$4,500 / $9,000	Official (IRS Rev. Proc. 2026-24)
HSA catch-up, age 55 and over	$1,000	$1,000	Fixed by statute
Health FSA salary reduction	$3,400	~$3,500	Projected; IRS confirms late Oct/Nov

Two surprises in the table: the IRA limit is expected to hold at $7,500 for a second straight year — not every account rises — and the HSA numbers are already official, announced back in May 2026. The health FSA figure for 2027 is still the IRS’s call; confirm it with your plan rather than guessing.

What the numbers mean at your life stage

A limit table is trivia until it meets your life. Here is what $25,500 actually means for the turning points LifeTurn Money covers:

• Under 40 and building. The extra $1,000 compounds longest for you. If your plan offers auto-escalation, set your rate to climb toward the new limit rather than parking at a round percentage.
• Turning 50 in 2027. Catch-up contributions unlock in the year you turn 50 — no need to wait for the birthday. Projected 2027 total for you: $25,500 + $8,500 = $34,000. See our retirement catch-up guide for the full playbook.
• Ages 60 to 63. The SECURE 2.0 super catch-up is projected at $11,750 — a $37,250 total. These are your highest-earning, last-chance years; they matter more than any other window.
• New to the US. There is no 401(k) without a US employer plan and no IRA without US taxable compensation — the limits above do not apply to foreign earnings. Start with our new-immigrant finance guide, then put these numbers on your calendar for year two.
• Rebuilding after divorce. A QDRO split moves retirement money between spouses but does not reset anyone’s contribution limits — your 2027 room is still yours to use. Pair this with our QDRO guide and post-divorce rebuild plan.
• Earning $150,000–$155,000. Watch this one: the Roth catch-up wage threshold is projected to rise to $155,000. If your 2026 wages land in that band, you may escape the mandatory-Roth catch-up rule in 2027 after being caught by it in 2026. Our Roth catch-up explainer has the mechanics.
• Lower-income savers. 2027 is also the first year of the federal Saver’s Match — up to $1,000 deposited by the government into your retirement account. The rising limits and the new match arrive together.

What to do now — before the IRS notice lands

• Do not lock your 2027 contribution percentage on stale numbers. If your open enrollment window is open now, elect based on 2026 figures and set a reminder to revisit the percentage when the IRS publishes in November.
• Finish 2026 first. 401(k) money must go in through payroll by 31 December — check year-to-date deferrals against the $24,500 limit now. IRA and HSA contributions for 2026 stay open until 15 April 2027.
• Wait for your plan administrator’s notice. Projections are not plan rules. Your employer’s systems update on the official IRS figures — contributing $25,500 before they do can create an excess-contribution headache.
• No Roth option at work? If you are over the wage threshold and your plan lacks a Roth 401(k), your catch-up contributions may be blocked entirely unless the plan adds one. Raise it with HR now, not in January.

For readers in the UK and Canada

These are US limits — but the “check next year’s allowances before year-end” habit works everywhere.

The traps to avoid

• Treating a projection as a promise. The IRS has surprised forecasters before. Nothing in this guide is official until the notice publishes.
• Maxing the 401(k) while ignoring the HSA. The HSA’s triple tax advantage beats extra 401(k) dollars for many households — fund the match, then the HSA, then back to the 401(k) is the usual order of operations.
• Mixing up the deadlines. 401(k): 31 December through payroll, no extensions. IRA and HSA for 2026: 15 April 2027. They are different clocks.
• Forgetting the match. A higher limit means nothing if you leave the employer match on the table — contribute at least enough to capture the full match before chasing the max.
• Assuming your plan updates on 1 January. Some administrators lag the IRS by weeks. Confirm your plan’s 2027 limits in writing before changing elections.