Skip to main content

Must-See Episode of "Between Two Daves" on the Topic of Tariffs Available Now!

I Stock 1089284442

401(k) Participant Contribution Limits to Increase in 2020

Photo of author, Monica Garver, CFP®, AIFA®, CPA (Retired).
Monica Garver, CFP®, AIFA®, CPA (Retired)
Director of Retirement Plan Services and Financial Strategist

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced its 2020 cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement plans. While some retirement plan limitations will stay the same for 2020, many key limitations will increase next year, including the participant contribution limit.

Check out the changes coming in 2020:

  • The elective deferral limit (i.e., participant contribution limit) for 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans increases to $19,500 for 2020. The catch-up contribution limit increases to $6,500 for 2020.
  • The compensation limit (i.e., the maximum amount of compensation that can be considered for plan purposes) increases to $285,000 for 2020.
  • The annual addition contribution limit (i.e., the maximum amount of combined employee and employer contributions that can be contributed to a participant’s account) for individuals in defined contribution plans, such as 401(k) and 403(b)plans, increases to $57,000 for 2020. This amount does not include catch-up contributions.
  • The compensation threshold for determining highly compensated employees for purposes of nondiscrimination testing increases to $130,000 for 2020.
  • The compensation threshold for determining officer key employees for purposes of top heavy testing increases to $185,000 for 2020.
  • The Social Security Wage Base increases to $137,700 for 2020.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to McKinley Carter's Retirement Plan Services division.

Related Insights
I Stock 2202941886 IRS Building copy 800px

IRS Publishes Proposed Regulations on SECURE 2.0 Catch-Up Contribution Rules

On January 13, 2025, the IRS published proposed regulations on two SECURE Act 2.0 changes to 401(k) catch-up contribution rules: 1.) increasing the catch-up contribution limit for taxpayers aged 60, 61, 62, or 63 and 2.) requiring Roth treatment of catch-up contributions made by taxpayers who, for the preceding calendar year, receive more than $145,000 in wages from the employer sponsoring the plan. The IRS’s proposal addresses certain issues with respect to these two changes. Learn more.

Read More
I Stock 1980590886 DOL copy 800px

DOL Temporary 'Non-Enforcement Policy' for Small-Balance Transfers to State Unclaimed Property Funds

On January 14, 2024, the Department of Labor (DOL) published a Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) 2025-01 announcing a “non-enforcement” policy with respect to the transfer of small defined contribution (DC) plan balances ($1,000 or less) belonging to missing participants to a state unclaimed property fund. Plan sponsors, on occasion, must deal with missing plan participants and beneficiaries, and what to do with their plan balances. Find out more.

Read More
Image1 Market Turmoil

Market Turmoil Spurs Trading, But Staying Put Pays Off

The U.S. stock market suffered its worst day in five years on Friday, April 4, following President Donald Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs. The S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Dow Jones Industrial Average all posted significant losses.

Despite the turbulence, financial experts continue to advise retirement plan investors to “stay the course” rather than react impulsively.

According to Alight Solutions, stock market volatility has already driven a surge in retirement plan trading in early 2025. In the first quarter alone, 0.77% of plan balances were traded—the highest rate since Q3 of 2020. Trading was particularly elevated in March, exceeding the activity seen in the entire fourth quarter of 2024. Despite increased activity, one Alight expert notes that less than 1% of participant assets were actually traded, indicating that most investors are sticking with their long-term strategies. Read more

Read More
Play