If you’re over 50 and you’ve been leaning on your 401(k) catch-up contribution to speed up retirement savings, 2026 may feel like a gut punch even if the dollar limit goes up. The issue isn’t that the IRS suddenly reduced how much you can save. It’s that a rule change can push some higher earners to make those extra dollars after tax, which makes the same savings goal “cost” more out of each paycheck. This is one of those updates that sounds small until it hits your take-home pay. Here’s what’s happening and how to adjust without derailing your plan.
