Maxing the workplace plan does not close the IRA. The $24,500 401(k) / 403(b) / 457(b) elective-deferral limit and the $7,500 IRA limit are different IRS caps. One YTD number does not spend the other.
Under 50, after $24,500 into the 401(k):
- 401(k) room left = $0
- IRA room left = $7,500
- Combined employee-side leftover if you also want an IRA = $7,500
At 50+ the IRA cap is $8,600. At 52 the 401(k) still has $8,000 of catch-up after the $24,500 base. Those extras do not replace each other.
401(k) room left → · IRA room left →
Take a match before you debate the leftover IRA: IRA vs 401(k), $2,400 match first. Hub: United States calculators.
This page does not model Roth IRA MAGI phase-outs, the compensation cap, or whether a traditional IRA is deductible if you are covered by a workplace plan. Confirm with Publication 590-A. Estimate, not tax advice.
Direct answer: $24,500 at work, $7,500 still open
- 2026 elective-deferral base = $24,500
- YTD deferral $24,500, age 40 → remaining $0
- 2026 IRA limit under 50 = $7,500
- YTD IRA $0 → remaining $7,500
401(k) remaining = max(0, ($24,500 + catch-up) − YTD deferrals)
IRA remaining = max(0, ($7,500 or $8,600) − YTD IRA)
Hitting one cap does not reduce the other
Checks you can re-run
| Account | Age | YTD | Limit | Left |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 401(k) | 40 | $24,500 | $24,500 | $0 |
| IRA | under 50 | $0 | $7,500 | $7,500 |
| IRA | 50+ | $0 | $8,600 | $8,600 |
| 401(k) | 52 | $24,500 | $32,500 | $8,000 |
The IRA deadline can still sit after December 31: IRA contribution deadline. The 401(k) clock is the plan year (usually December 31 payroll).
Order that still matters
- Defer enough to catch the employer match.
- Then decide whether leftover cash goes to the 401(k) cap or an IRA. They do not cancel.
- Age-50 catch-up on the 401(k) is $8,000, not the IRA $1,100. Different statutes.
The contribution-limit engines say yes: $7,500 under 50, $8,600 at 50+. Deductibility and Roth MAGI are separate tests.
No. Workplace elective deferrals and IRA contributions have different limits.
The base is maxed. Catch-up room is still $8,000 if the plan allows it. The IRA can still take $8,600.