U.S. retirement planning numbers changed again for 2026, so old contribution caps are already stale

The hook

“If someone is still planning 2026 retirement contributions off last year's limits, the spreadsheet is already behind.”

The IRS announced a 2026 401(k) limit of $24,500 and an IRA limit of $7,500, with separate catch-up figures continuing to matter for older taxpayers. The COLA guidance matters because these are planning numbers, not trivia. Salary deferral decisions and owner-compensation models often get adjusted around them.

The takeaway

Retirement tax planning ages badly when the limits move and the model does not.

Official sources

401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500 COLA increases for dollar limitations on benefits and contributions

More shorts

The foreign earned income exclusion is not the same thing as the foreign tax credit

“A lot of expats talk about FEIE and the foreign tax credit like they are two buttons that do the same job. They are not.”

Switzerland VAT is not 7.7% anymore

“If someone is still quoting 7.7% Swiss VAT in 2026, they are already working from stale material.”

In Mexico, company tax pressure starts long before the annual return

“A March deadline makes people think Mexico company tax is an annual event. It is not.”