Tax News Update    Email this document    Print this document  

November 2, 2023
2023-1825

IRS releases the qualified retirement plan limitations for 2024: 401(k) pretax limit increases to $23,000

The dollar limitations for retirement plans and certain other dollar limitations that become effective January 1, 2024, have been released by the IRS in Notice 2023-75.

The dollar limitations adjusted by reference to IRC Section 415(d) are modified annually for inflation and, consequently, most of them are changed for 2024.

Of note, the 2024 pretax limit that applies to elective deferrals to IRC Section 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans increased from $22,500 to $23,000. The dollar limitation for catch-up contributions for participants aged 50 or over remains at $7,500.

Plan participants in these plans may wish to consider the impact of the dollar limitations for 2024 in their overall financial planning.

A summary of some of the cost-of-living adjustments for 2023 and 2024 is provided below. Past year limits are also posted on the IRS website in a historical table.

  •  

Description

2023

2024

Participant pretax contribution limit for IRC Section 401(k) and 403(b) plans

IRC Section 402(g)(1)

$22,500

$23,000

Deferral limit for deferred compensation plans of state and local governments and tax-exempts

IRC Section 457(e)(15)

$22,500

$23,000

Dollar limit for catch-up contributions for participants aged 50 or over in IRC Section 401(k), 403(b), governmental IRC Section 457(b) plans and Simplified Employee Pensions (SEPs)

IRC Section 414(v)(2)(B)(i)

$7,500

$7,500

Dollar limit for catch-up for contributions for participants aged 50 or over in a SIMPLE IRA or a SIMPLE 401(k)

IRC Section 414(v)(2)(B)(ii)

$3,500

$3,500

Defined benefit plan annual benefit limit1

IRC Section 415(b)(1)(A)

$265,000

$275,000

Defined contribution plan contribution limit

IRC Section 415(c)(1)(A)

$66,000

$69,000

Maximum ESOP account balance subject to a 5-year distribution period/increments for additional year

IRC Section 409(o)(1)(C)(ii)

$1,330,000/$265,000

$1,380,000/$275,000

Highly compensated employee dollar threshold

IRC Section 414(q)(1)(B)

$150,000

$155,000

Definition of key employee in a top-heavy plan — officer compensation threshold

IRC Section 416(i)(1)(A)(i)

$215,000

$220,000

Annual limit on includible compensation for benefits and allocations2

IRC Sections 401(a)(17), 404(l), 408(k)(3)(C) and 408(k)(6)(D)(ii)

$330,000

$345,000

SEP employee participation floor

IRC Section 408(k)(2)(C)

$750

$750

SIMPLE IRA and SIMPLE 401(k) contribution limit

IRC Section 408(p)(2)(E)

$15,500

$16,000

Compensation amount for control employees for fringe benefit valuation purposes

Treas. Reg. Section 1.61-21(f)(5)(i) and (iii)

$130,000/$265,000

$135,000/$275,000

———————————————

Contact Information
For additional information concerning this Alert, please contact:
 
Workforce Tax Services - Employment Tax Advisory Services
   • Kristie Lowery (kristie.lowery@ey.com)
   • Kenneth Hausser (kenneth.hausser@ey.com)
   • Debera Salam (debera.salam@ey.com)

Published by NTD’s Tax Technical Knowledge Services group; Andrea Ben-Yosef, legal editor

———————————————

ENDNOTES

1 For a participant who separated from service before January 1, 2024, the participant's limitation under a defined benefit plan under IRC Section 415(b)(1)(B) is computed by multiplying the participant's compensation limitation, as adjusted through 2023, by 1.0351.

2 For eligible participants in certain governmental plans that allow cost of living adjustments to the compensation limit to be taken into account, that limit is increased to $505,000 for 2024, up from $490,000 in 2023.