Table of Contents
- What Are Super Catch-Up Contributions?
- Who Qualifies for Super Catch-Up Contributions?
- Which Retirement Accounts Allow Super Catch-Ups?
- How Much Can You Contribute?
- Example of How Super Catch-Ups Can Boost Your Savings
- Benefits and Considerations of Super Catch-Up Contributions
- How to Use Super Catch-Ups in Your Retirement Strategy
- Standard Catch-Up vs. Super Catch-Up
- FAQ
Super catch-up contributions allow individuals ages 60 to 63 to contribute additional money to certain types of workplace retirement accounts beginning in tax year 2025. The super catch-up is higher than the standard yearly catch-up contribution amount for those ages 50 and older.
Super catch-up contributions are intended to help people boost their savings near retirement. Read on to learn more about how super catch-ups work, the super catch-up contribution limit, which retirement accounts are eligible, and how these additional contributions might help you save more for retirement.
Key Points
- Super catch-up contributions, a provision of the SECURE 2.0 Act, allow enhanced retirement savings for individuals ages 60 to 63 enrolled in participating workplace plans, such as 401(k)s.
- Eligible participants can contribute up to $11,250 in super catch-up contributions in 2025 and 2026, replacing standard catch-up limits of $7,500 and $8,000 respectively.
- Total retirement employee contributions for workers aged 60–63, including super catch-up amounts, are $34,750 in 2025 and $35,750 in 2026.
- Starting January 1, 2026, individuals ages 50 and older with more than $150,000 in FICA wages in the prior year must direct all catch-up contributions into Roth accounts.
- Eligibility for super catch-up contributions ends the year participants turn 64, and then revert to standard catch-up amounts for those ages 50 and older.
What Are Super Catch-Up Contributions?
Super catch-up contributions, a provision of the SECURE 2.0 Act, are temporary enhanced catch-up contribution limits for individuals ages 60 to 63 who are enrolled in a participating retirement plan. People in this age group can contribute up to $11,250 to certain types of employer-sponsored retirement accounts in 2025 and 2026 — provided their plan offers the super catch-up option.
The SECURE 2.0 super catch-up contribution is in addition to the standard yearly contribution limit and is higher than the limit for regular catch-up contributions for those ages 50 and up. The super catch-up is designed to help individuals maximize retirement savings as they get closer to retirement.
Who Qualifies for Super Catch-Up Contributions?
Employed individuals ages 60 to 63 who are enrolled in a participating retirement plan may qualify for super catch-up contributions. The employee must turn 60, 61, 62, or 63 by the end of the year in which they are making the catch-up.
In addition, they must have an employer-sponsored retirement plan like a 401(k) or 403(b), and they need to have made the standard contribution for the year, which was $23,500 in 2025 and is $24,500 in 2026. Because the super catch-up provision is not mandatory for employers, a plan must offer it for an employee to take part.
Which Retirement Accounts Allow Super Catch-Ups?
The types of retirement plans that allow super catch-up contributions up to $11,250 in 2025 and 2026 include:
- Traditional 401(k): This is a workplace retirement plan that allows employees to contribute pre-tax dollars.
- Roth 401(k): This type of 401(k) allows employees to contribute after-tax dollars.
- 403(b): Similar to a traditional 401(k), this plan is for employees of nonprofit organizations, hospitals, churches, schools, and other tax exempt organizations; contributions are made with pre-tax dollars.
- Roth 403(b): This type of 403(b) allows employees to make after-tax contributions.
- 457(b) plan: This is a deferred compensation plan for state and local government employees.
- Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): This retirement plan is for federal employees and members of the military and is similar to a 401(k).
- Solo 401(k): This is a 401(k) for self-employed individuals or business owners with no employees.
Some SIMPLE IRAs (designed for small businesses) may also offer a super catch-up contribution for those ages 60 to 63. For these plans, however, the maximum catch-up limit is $5,250 for 2025 and 2026.
How Much Can You Contribute?
Individuals eligible for super catch-up contributions can contribute up to $11,250 in catch-up contributions in 2025 and 2026. This contribution is made instead of the standard catch-up contribution of $7,500 in 2025 and $8,000 in 2026 for those ages 50 and up. (The deadline for super catch-up contributions for 2025 was December 31, 2025.)
Catch-up contributions are made on top of the regular annual contribution amount for 401(k)s, 403(b)s, 457(b)s, and Thrift Savings Plans of $23,500, in 2025 and $24,500 in 2026. If individuals contribute up to the super catch-up contribution limit, their total contribution for 2025 would be $34,750, and $35,750 in 2026.
Additionally, employers can contribute to employees’ 401(k) plans through an employer matching. The total combined contribution amount for employee and employer, including super catch-up contributions, was $81,250 in 2025 and is $83,250 in 2026.
If you have more than one 401(k) plan — through different employers, for instance — you are limited to the maximum amounts outlined above across all plans.
One additional thing to note about catch-up contributions: Under a new law that went into effect on January 1, 2026 as part of SECURE 2.0, individuals ages 50 and older who earned more than $150,000 in FICA wages in 2025 are required to put all of their 401(k) catch-up contributions into a Roth 401(k) account. With Roths, individuals pay taxes on contributions up front, but can make qualified withdrawals tax-free in retirement.
Recommended: Important Retirement Contribution Limits
Example of How Super Catch-Ups Can Boost Your Savings
Making super catch-up contributions allows you to add a significant sum to your retirement account in addition to the standard annual contribution limit and any growth that larger balance generates.
Example of a Super Catch-Up Contribution
Let’s say you are age 60 and decide to contribute the full $11,250 super catch-up contribution limit for all four years you are eligible (ages 60 to 63) at the end of each year. That would add up to an extra $45,000 in your retirement account without factoring in potential investment growth. Assuming an annual 7% return (the historical average for the S&P 500, adjusted for inflation), that extra $45,000 could potentially grow to $49,944 over those four years. (However, investing always involves risk and returns are not guaranteed.)
Benefits and Considerations of Super Catch-Up Contributions
Super catch-up contributions offer a number of potential advantages for those who are eligible to make them, but there are also some important factors to consider before moving ahead. Here’s what to weigh.
Benefits
Advantages of making super catch-up contributions include:
- Building retirement savings: Making the super catch-up contributions could help you directly add to your retirement savings for up to four years, potentially increasing your balance in the years leading up to retirement.
- Potentially lower tax bill: Since contributions to a traditional 401(k) are made with pre-tax dollars, you can deduct the contributions in the year you make them, lowering your taxable income. You’ll pay taxes on withdrawals in retirement, when you may be in a lower tax bracket.
- Tax-deferred growth: Like other money in a traditional retirement account, such as a traditional 401(k), catch-up contributions grow tax-deferred. That means you won’t owe taxes on any investment gains until you withdraw the money in retirement.
Considerations
Making a super catch-up may not be the right option for everyone, however. Here are some possible drawbacks to consider:
- The amount of money is substantial: A super catch-up contribution of $11,250 a year — on top of the regular annual contribution limit — may be more than many individuals can afford to make.
- The timeframe is short. You can only make super catch-up contributions between the ages of 60 and 63, which doesn’t allow much time for potential compounding returns, especially if retirement is just a few years away.
- High earners may see fewer tax benefits. As noted above, individuals aged 50 and older who earned more than $150,000 in FICA wages in the prior year, are required to put all 401(k) catch-up contributions into a Roth 401(k) account. This means you will pay taxes on the money up front, when you may be in a higher tax bracket than you would be in retirement.
How to Use Super Catch-Ups in Your Retirement Strategy
For those eligible for super catch-ups and interested in making them, here’s what the process typically entails:
- Decide how much to contribute via a super catch-up. Remember, the super catch-up contribution limit is $11,250 for 2026.
- Determine whether you want to make the amount per paycheck or contribute at various times during the year. You’ll need to make the full contribution by December 31, 2025, but you can do so at any time up until then.
- Check your compensation. If you earned more than $150,000 in FICA wages in 2025, your catch-up contributions will need to be made as Roth contributions. Check with your plan administrator to make sure the plan offers that option. If it doesn’t, you won’t be able to make any catch-up contributions.
- Once you’ve confirmed your eligibility for super catch-up contributions and are ready to move on, log into your retirement account or contact HR to adjust your deferrals.
Standard Catch-Up vs. Super Catch-Up
Here’s a simple breakdown of the standard vs super catch up contributions and key facts and figures to know:
- Standard catch-up: Employees aged 50 and older with workplace plans (401(k), 403(b), 457(b), or TSP) can make standard catch-up contributions. The limit is $7,500 for 2025 and increases to $8,000 for 2026.
- Super catch-up: Under SECURE 2.0, a super catch-up is available specifically for employees ages 60 to 63. For both 2025 and 2026, the maximum super catch-up limit is $11,250. Once an individual turns 64, they revert to the standard catch-up limit.
- The “Roth” requirement: For both types of catch-ups, employees who earned more than $150,000 in FICA wages in the previous year must designate these contributions as Roth (after-tax).
The Takeaway
Super catch-up contributions are a way for eligible employees ages 60 to 63 in participating workplace retirement plans to help maximize their retirement savings. In 2026, they can make a super catch-up of up to $11,250, on top of their standard contribution.
The super catch-up amount applies across all 401(k) plans an individual may have. For those who have maxed out their workplace retirement plan contributions, or whose workplace plan doesn’t offer any catch-up contributions, one possible option is to open an IRA online to help save for retirement. Just be aware that your income level and participation in a company plan may limit your ability to deduct traditional IRA contributions or qualify for Roth IRA contributions.
Prepare for your retirement with an individual retirement account (IRA). It’s easy to get started when you open a traditional or Roth IRA with SoFi. Whether you prefer a hands-on self-directed IRA through SoFi Securities or an automated robo IRA with SoFi Wealth, you can build a portfolio to help support your long-term goals while gaining access to tax-advantaged savings strategies.
FAQ
Do IRAs offer super catch-up contributions?
Traditional and Roth IRAs do not offer super catch-up contributions. However, they do offer a standard catch-up contribution for thoseages 50 and older of $1,000 in 2025 (for a total limit of $8,000.), and $1,100 in 2026 (for a total limit of $8,600).
Under SECURE 2.0, SIMPLE IRAs, a workplace retirement plan for small businesses, offer a super catch-up contribution of $5,250 for those ages 60 to 63 in 2025 and 2026.
Is a plan required to offer super catch-ups?
No, workplace retirement plans are not required to offer super catch-up contributions. The super catch-up provision is optional for employers under SECURE 2.0.
What happens after age 63?
The year in which an individual turns 64, they are no longer eligible for the super catch-up contribution. At that point, they revert to the standard catch-up amount for those ages 50 and older, which is $7,500 in 2025 and $8,000 for 2026.
photocredit: iStock/Eder Paisan
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
For disclosures on SoFi Invest platforms visit SoFi.com/legal. For a full listing of the fees associated with Sofi Invest please view our fee schedule.
S&P 500 Index: The S&P 500 Index is a market-capitalization-weighted index of 500 leading publicly traded companies in the U.S. It is not an investment product, but a measure of U.S. equity performance. Historical performance of the S&P 500 Index does not guarantee similar results in the future. The historical return of the S&P 500 Index shown does not include the reinvestment of dividends or account for investment fees, expenses, or taxes, which would reduce actual returns.
Disclaimer: The projections or other information regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results, and are not guarantees of future results.
Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.
This article is not intended to be legal advice. Please consult an attorney for advice.
SOIN-Q126-089