401(k) Contribution Tracker
See how much of the 2026 IRS elective deferral cap you have used, how much room is left, and whether your current pace will max out before December.
Your 2026 progress
How to use the contribution tracker
Enter year-to-date elective deferrals from your pay stub or plan portal, then compare pace against the IRS cap for your age.
- Pull YTD deferrals. Use Employee Deferrals or Pre-Tax 401(k)—not employer match dollars.
- Set age and pay schedule. Catch-up bands change the ceiling at 50 and again at 60–63 under SECURE 2.0.
- Read pace vs projected year-end. If you are behind before October, you may still have room to raise payroll elections.
How to Read the Results
On-track pace
Compares YTD to a straight-line share of the annual cap; plan true-ups are not modeled.
What to Do Next
Why track deferrals during the year?
Editor’s note (David Jones): I maintain these pages as an independent calculator researcher—not as a broker or wealth manager. When IRS notices change, we update limit-driven tools first, then refresh explanatory copy.
High earners who front-load contributions can accidentally forfeit employer match. Workers under-saving can see the gap early enough to raise payroll elections. This tracker compares your YTD deferrals to the age-based IRS ceiling—not investment performance.
Frequently asked questions
How do I track 401(k) contributions toward the annual limit?
Add up elective deferrals from your pay stubs or plan portal YTD total. Compare that figure to the IRS elective deferral cap for your age ($24,500 base in 2026, higher with catch-up).
What happens if I max out my 401(k) too early?
If you hit the cap before year-end, payroll should stop deferrals. If your plan does not true-up match, you may miss employer match on later paychecks.
Does employer match count toward the $24,500 limit?
No. The $24,500 figure is your employee elective deferral limit. Employer match counts toward the separate Section 415(c) combined limit.
How We Reviewed This Tool
Tool-Level Methodology
- Built the UI around one worker question before adding secondary outputs.
- Re-used the site-wide Calc401k engine where possible so caps match other calculators.
- Tested edge cases (age 60–63 catch-up band, zero salary, maxed YTD) in the browser.
Assumption Review
- Projections assume level annual salary unless you change inputs; real payroll has bonuses and mid-year raises.
- Employer match timing and true-ups are not modeled unless the tool explicitly says so.
Update Log
- Shipped with 2026 IRS elective deferral ceilings and catch-up bands.
- Linked results to paycheck-impact and limits reference pages.
How we document this page (E-E-A-T)
Experience. Written for U.S. workers reading real pay stubs and plan portals—not for abstract theory.
Expertise. Published by David Jones, who maintains calculator methodology on 401lcalculator.com. Numeric limits align with our 2026 limits page (IRS Notice 2025-67).
Trustworthiness. Educational projections only. Calculations run locally in your browser. Report a correction with a primary source link.
- Reviewed by David Jones
- Limits Updated for 2026 IRS contribution caps
- Formulas Verified quarterly
Review & Methodology
- Reviewed by David Jones (calculator methodology).
- Updated for 2026 IRS contribution limits (refreshed after each annual IRS notice).
- Core calculator formulas are re-tested quarterly; limit-driven logic is checked when IRS guidance changes.
- Educational projections only — not investment, tax, or wealth-management advice. Calculations run locally in your browser.