Now is the time to update your savings plan. Retirement account max contribution amounts are higher in 2026, so don’t forget to make those adjustments to your monthly savings strategy.

2026 Contribution Limits: A Quick Reference

401(k) and 403(b) Plans

• Employee Elective Deferral: $24,500
• Catch-up (Age 50+): Additional $8,000
• Super Catch-up (Age 60-63): Additional $11,250
• Deadline: December 31, 2026

IRA and Roth IRA

• Total Contribution Limit: $7,500
• Catch-up (Age 50+): Additional $1,100
• Deadline: April 15, 2027

Health Savings Accounts (HSA)

• Self-only Coverage: $4,400
• Family Coverage: $8,750
• Catch-up (Age 55+): Additional $1,000
• Deadline: April 15, 2027

It’s great to have a balance of pre-tax, tax-free, and taxable savings. If you received a raise or bonus, or are sitting on surplus cash, now is the time to put that capital to work and invest.

The 2026 Tax & Planning Calendar

Mark your calendar for these critical 2026 dates to ensure compliance and optimal cash flow management:

• January 15: 4Q 2025 estimated tax payments due (Self-employed/non-withholding income).
• January 26: IRS begins accepting 2025 tax returns.
• January 31: Deadline for employers to provide W-2s and 1099s.
• February: Custodians (Schwab/Altruist) distribute investment account tax reporting.
• March 17: S Corp and Partnership tax returns due (unless extending).
• April 15: Individual 2025 tax returns due & 1Q 2026 estimated tax payments due.
• June 15: 2Q 2026 estimated tax payments due.
• September 15: 3Q 2026 estimated tax payments due; Extended S Corp/Partnership returns due.
• October 15: Extended Individual tax returns due.
• December 31: Deadline for Roth conversions and final 2026 payroll 401(k) contributions.

The Strategy Behind the Numbers

Tax-advantaged accounts are an incredible way to create buckets of money to be used under different tax regimes. Roth accounts grow tax-free and distributions remain tax-free with simple planning, meaning they are excellent accounts to invest aggressively and hopefully leave as a legacy for future generations.

Pre-tax accounts like 401ks and IRAs shelter income from current tax brackets with their tax-deferred treatment. And with required minimum distributions beginning sometime between 73 and 75, depending on when you were born, they can provide a nice source of ‘income’ during retirement.

And obviously, Health Savings Accounts are the great triple threat where contributions are pre-tax, grow tax free and provide tax-free distributions with the right planning.

Knowing how to leverage the different accounts and when to lean into one bucket versus another is part art and part science. It requires knowing where you are today and where you want to be in the future and discussing how each tax-preferred savings strategy can optimize your plans. It requires an understanding of taxes and you and your family.

That’s where we excel.

At Portus Wealth Advisors, working on your current and future plans regularly allows us to be proactive in the planning process. It allows to ask the critical questions of both you and your CPA to make sure the strategy meets the demands. It allows us to be part of the annual tax work (supporting you in your discussions and data gathering) but also to push the CPA to see beyond the current year and into what reduces lifetime tax liabilities rather than simply the current year.

If you need help coordinating your 2026 strategy with your tax professional while keeping a watchful eye on future tax liabilities, reach out to our team today.