06/01/2026
Will you be 60, 61, 62, or 63 in 2026?
If you're focused on maximizing retirement savings, this may be the most important post you read.
There's a contribution window called the "super catch-up" — and it only exists for exactly four years of your life.
Here's how the 401(k) contribution tiers look for 2026:
Under 50: $24,500
Age 50–59: $32,500 (+$8,000 catch-up)
Age 60–63: $35,750 (+$11,250 super catch-up)
Age 64+: $32,500 (back to standard catch-up)
A few important details on eligibility:
You qualify if you turn 60, 61, 62, or 63 at any point during the calendar year
You must be 60–63 on December 31 — if you turn 64 before year-end, you do not qualify for that year
Your plan must opt in to offer the super catch-up — most large plans have, but confirm with your HR department or plan administrator before adjusting your contributions
If your 2025 wages exceeded $150,000, your catch-up contributions must go into a Roth account — confirm your plan offers a Roth option, as plans without one may not allow catch-up contributions for high earners
That enhanced catch-up is 40% larger than what every other age group gets. And it disappears the moment you turn 64.
For pre-retirees in this window who aren't maximizing contributions: you are leaving one of the most valuable tax-sheltered opportunities available on the table.
If this applies to you — or to a parent, sibling, or colleague in this age range — this is worth a conversation today, not next year.