IRS Bumps Up 401(k) Contribution Limit for 2020

In guidance released Wednesday, the Internal Revenue Service said employees in 401(k) plans would be able to contribute as much as $19,500 in 2020.

Participants in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans and the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan will see that contribution increased from $19,000.

The catch-up contribution limit for employees 50 and older who participate in these plans will increase to $6,500 from $6,000.

The limitation regarding SIMPLE retirement accounts will increase from $13,000 for 2019 to $13,500 for 2020.

In addition, the guidance said income ranges that determine eligibility to make deductible contributions to traditional IRAs, to contribute to Roth IRAs and to claim the Saver's Credit all increased for 2020.

Phase-Outs

According to the guidance, taxpayers can deduct contributions to a traditional IRA by meeting certain conditions. If the taxpayer or his or her spouse was covered by a retirement plan at work during the year, the deduction may be reduced, or phased out, until it is eliminated, depending on filing status and income.

If neither the taxpayer nor his or her spouse was covered by a retirement plan at work, the phase-outs of the deduction would not apply.

These are the phase-out ranges for 2020:

Single taxpayers covered by a workplace retirement plan: $65,000 to $75,000, up from $64,000 to $74,000
Married couples filing jointly, where the spouse making the IRA contribution is covered by a workplace retirement plan: $104,000 to $124,000, up from $103,000 to $123,000
IRA contributor who is not covered by a workplace retirement plan and is married to someone who is covered: The deduction is phased out if the couple's income is between $196,000 and $206,000, up from $193,000 and $203,000
Married individual filing a separate return who is covered by a workplace retirement plan: The phase-out range is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $0 to $10,000.

The income phase-out range for taxpayers contributing to a Roth IRA is $124,000 to $139,000 for singles and heads of household, up from $122,000 to $137,000; and for married couples filing jointly, it is $196,000 to $206,000, up from $193,000 to $203,000.

The phase-out range for a married individual filing a separate return who makes contributions to a Roth IRA is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $0 to $10,000.

The income limit for the Saver's Credit — aka Retirement Savings Contributions Credit — for low- and moderate-income workers is $65,000 for married couples filing jointly, up from $64,000; $48,750 for heads of household, up from $48,000; and $32,500 for singles and married individuals filing separately, up from $32,000.

The limit on annual contributions to an IRA remains unchanged at $6,000. The additional catch-up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $1,000.

— Related on ThinkAdvisor: