The Retirement Numbers: the facts

1. The 2026 401(k), 403(b), and 457 deferral limit is $24,500. The catch-up for people 50 and over is $8,000; for people who are 60 through 63 during the year it is $11,250 instead.
2. The 2026 IRA limit is $7,500, with a $1,100 catch-up from age 50. A qualified charitable distribution from an IRA is capped at $111,000 for the year.
3. The 2026 HSA limits are $4,400 for self-only coverage and $8,750 for family coverage, plus $1,000 from age 55.
4. Social Security benefits rose 2.8% for 2026. Wages are taxed for Social Security up to $184,500. Before full retirement age, $24,480 of earnings is exempt from the earnings test.
5. The thresholds that make Social Security benefits taxable, $25,000 single and $32,000 joint, have not changed since the 1980s and 1990s and are not indexed.
6. The standard Medicare Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026. Income-related surcharges begin above $109,000 of 2024 income on an individual return and $218,000 on a joint return.
7. The 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 single and $32,200 joint, with $1,650 more per spouse over 65 ($2,050 if unmarried), and a further $6,000 per person over 65 for 2025 through 2028, phasing out above $75,000 single and $150,000 joint.
8. The 2026 annual gift exclusion is $19,000 per recipient. The federal estate and gift exclusion is $15,000,000 per person; Illinois taxes estates above $4,000,000.

Educational only, not investment, tax, or legal advice. Results are hypothetical estimates that vary with each use and over time and are not guaranteed accurate or complete. Using this tool creates no client relationship with Considerate Capital, and the site that linked here is not affiliated with it. By using it you agree to the tool terms (opens in a new window).