Updated September 29, 2026. Quick answer: the 2026 403(b) elective-deferral limit is $24,500, the same dollar figure as the 401(k) limit, because both share the same statutory cap under 26 U.S.C. §402(g). Milliman’s July 2026 forecast projects $25,500 for 2027. A minority of 403(b) participants (employees with 15 or more years of service at a public school, hospital, home-health agency, or church-related organization) can also access a separate, non-inflation-indexed catch-up of up to $3,000 a year on top of the regular and age-50 catch-ups.
Looking for the 401(k) deferral limit rather than the 403(b) figure? See 401(k) contribution limits for 2027.
The confirmed 2025 and 2026 limits
| 2025 | 2026 | Projected 2027 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elective deferral limit | $23,500 | $24,500 | $25,500 (Milliman, Aug 13, 2026) |
| 15-years-of-service catch-up (if eligible) | up to $3,000 | up to $3,000 | up to $3,000 (fixed, not indexed) |
Why the 403(b) figure always matches the 401(k)
403(b) plans (offered mainly by public schools, universities, hospitals, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits) and 401(k) plans share the identical elective-deferral ceiling under 26 U.S.C. §402(g). There is no separate 403(b)-specific dollar limit, so the two figures move together every year by construction, not coincidence. The one genuine 403(b)-only wrinkle is the 15-years-of-service catch-up under §402(g)(7): a fixed, non-COLA-indexed add-on (the lesser of $3,000, a $15,000 lifetime cap, or $5,000 times years of service minus catch-ups already used) available only to long-tenured employees of specific tax-exempt employer types. It has not changed in years, and Milliman’s forecast does not project it, because it is not an inflation-adjusted figure.
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The 2026 figures on this page were checked against IRS Notice 2025-67 on September 29, 2026.
- IRS, Retirement Topics – 403(b) Contribution Limits: 2026 elective deferral and 15-years-of-service catch-up.
- IRS Notice 2025-67, §3.01: 2026 §402(g) elective deferral limit.
- IRS, “COLA Increases for Dollar Limitations on Benefits and Contributions”: the IRS table of cost-of-living adjustments to retirement plan limits, 2026 and earlier years.
2027 projection: Milliman, August 13, 2026.
Statute: 26 U.S.C. §402(g).
Related
General information, not tax or legal advice. This page will be updated with the official 2027 figure the day it is announced.
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How your 403(b) contributions appear on a W-2: code E for pre-tax deferrals, code BB for Roth.