Printable checklist for your desk
Print this checklist and take it to your next conversation with your employer's plan administrator.
Download the PDF (large print)The short version. Two laws changed retirement saving: SECURE 2.0 (passed in 2022, with provisions phasing in through 2027) and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed July 4, 2025). Many changes depend on your employer plan, so the practical step is to ask your plan which ones it offers.
Contribution and catch-up changes
| Change | What it means | When |
|---|---|---|
| Higher catch-up at 60 to 63 | $11,250 for 2026 instead of the usual $8,000. Plans may offer it but are not required to. | Since 2025 |
| Roth catch-up for higher earners | If your prior-year pay from your employer was above $150,000, catch-up contributions generally must go in as Roth. A plan without a Roth option may bar those catch-ups. | Final rules apply from 2027; 2026 is a good-faith year |
| Saver's Match | A federal match deposited into your retirement account. Up to 50% of the first $2,000 you save (maximum $1,000), for lower-income savers. It replaces the Saver's Credit for retirement contributions. | Starts with 2027 contributions |
| Student loan match | Employers can make matching contributions based on your student loan payments. | Plan years after 2023 |
| Automatic enrollment | Most new 401(k) and 403(b) plans must automatically enroll eligible employees. | Plan years after 2024 (exceptions apply) |
| Roth employer contributions | Employer match and nonelective contributions can be made as Roth. | Since 2023 |
| Part-time workers | Long-term part-time employees can become eligible after two consecutive years of 500 or more hours. | Plan years after 2024 |
Withdrawal and required-distribution changes
- Required withdrawal age is 73 now and 75 for people born in 1960 or later. See our required withdrawals guide. [5]
- Roth 401(k) accounts no longer have required withdrawals during the owner's life, starting in 2024. [5]
- The penalty for a missed withdrawal is now 25%, or 10% if corrected promptly. [5]
- Small balances. Plans may cash out or move small accounts of up to $7,000, up from $5,000. [6]
New exceptions to the 10% early-withdrawal tax
- Emergency personal expenses: one withdrawal per year of up to $1,000, repayable within three years. [7]
- Domestic abuse victims: up to the lesser of $10,000 (indexed) or half the vested balance. [7]
- Terminal illness (expected death within 84 months). [7, 8]
- Qualified disaster recovery distributions of up to $22,000, and up to $5,000 per child for a birth or adoption. [8]
These exceptions remove the 10% additional tax, but regular income tax usually still applies. Plans decide whether they allow the underlying withdrawal.
Other changes
- 529 to Roth IRA. Leftover 529 money can move to the beneficiary's Roth IRA, up to $35,000 for life, if the 529 is at least 15 years old. See our 529 guide. [9]
- ABLE accounts. The age of disability onset rises from 26 to 46 starting in 2026. [10]
- HSA. Bronze and catastrophic plans, and direct primary care, now work with an HSA. See our HSA guide.
Income tax changes from the 2025 law
- The lower tax brackets from 2017 became permanent starting in 2026. The 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 single and $32,200 married filing jointly. [11]
- People 65 or older can claim an extra $6,000 deduction ($12,000 for a couple) for tax years 2025 through 2028. It phases out above $75,000 of income for single filers and $150,000 for joint filers. [12]
- The federal estate and gift exclusion is $15,000,000 per person for 2026. See our estate guide. [11]
- New charitable giving rules start in 2026. See our giving guide.
Questions to ask your employer plan
- Does the plan offer a Roth option, and the age 60 to 63 catch-up?
- Will my catch-up contributions have to be Roth because of my pay?
- Does the plan offer the emergency withdrawal, student loan match, or Roth employer match?
- Are there plan amendments coming that change how any of this works?
Frequently asked questions
What is the Roth catch-up rule?
If your prior-year pay from your employer was above $150,000, catch-up contributions generally must go in as Roth. Final rules apply from 2027, and 2026 is a good-faith year.
What is the Saver's Match?
A federal match deposited into your retirement account, up to 50% of the first $2,000 you save (maximum $1,000), for lower-income savers. It starts with 2027 contributions.
Do all these changes apply to my plan?
Not necessarily. Many depend on what your employer plan offers, so ask your plan administrator.
Sources and review notes
- IRS Notice 2025-67: 2026 limits
- Federal Register: Final regulations on catch-up contributions
- IRS: Saver's Match
- IRS Notice 2024-2 and Notice 2024-63 and 2024-73 (plan changes)
- Federal Register: Final regulations on required minimum distributions
- IRS Notice 2026-34
- IRS Notice 2024-55: Emergency and domestic abuse distributions
- IRS: Instructions for Form 5329
- IRS Topic 313: Qualified tuition programs (529 plans)
- Social Security: ABLE age change
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32
- IRS: Tax deductions for working Americans and seniors
General education, not individualized investment, tax, or legal advice. Discuss tax decisions with your tax professional, and recheck annual limits before using this page for another tax year.