401K Tools

401(k) Mid-Year Job Change Calculator

Changed jobs this year? Find out exactly how much to contribute at your new job to hit the annual limit — without going over.

Your 401(k) details

Results update as you type.

Your Situation

Age group

Affects your annual contribution limit

Contribution type

Traditional and Roth share the same annual limit

Previous Job

Contributions already made this year ($)

Find this on your last pay stub or W-2 Box 12 Code D

Did your previous employer match?

Employer contributions don't count toward your personal limit

New Job

Annual salary at new job ($)

Pay frequency

Pay periods remaining this year

How many paychecks will you receive before Dec 31?

Not sure? Pick your first pay date:

Auto-fills pay periods remaining based on your frequency

Your 401(k) plan for 2026

✓ 2026 IRS limits

The Basics

What you need to know about 401(k) limits and job changes

The limit is per person, not per job

The IRS $24,500 limit applies to you across all employers in a calendar year — not per employer. Your new employer won't automatically know what you contributed at your old job.

Over-contributing has real consequences

If you contribute too much, the excess must be returned by April 15 of the following year. If it isn't, you'll pay tax on the excess twice — once when it goes in, once when it comes out.

Employer match doesn't count

Your employer's matching contributions don't count toward your $24,500 personal limit. The combined limit (you + employer) is $70,000 in 2026, but you only need to track your own contributions.

Your W-2 Box 12 is the source of truth

After the year ends, your old employer's W-2 will show your exact contributions in Box 12 with Code D. Use your final pay stub for mid-year estimates.

Questions, Answered

Frequently asked questions

No. Your new employer has no visibility into your prior contributions. It's entirely your responsibility to track your total contributions across both employers and ensure you don't exceed the annual limit.

If you exceed your annual limit ($24,500 base, or up to $35,750 with catch-up contributions for ages 60–63), the excess must be returned to you by April 15 of the following year — along with any earnings on that amount. If your plan doesn't return the excess in time, you'll be taxed on that money twice: once in the year of contribution and again when eventually distributed.

Yes. The $24,500 limit applies to the combined total of all your traditional and Roth 401(k) contributions across all employers. If you contribute $10,000 to a traditional 401(k) at your old job and $10,000 to a Roth 401(k) at your new job, you've used $20,000 of your $24,500 limit.

Even if you can't hit the annual limit, prioritize contributing at least enough to capture your employer's full match — that's an immediate 50%–100% return on your money depending on the match formula. Use this calculator to find the minimum contribution needed to capture the full match.

No. The IRS limit is per calendar year per person, regardless of how many jobs you have. If you change jobs three times in a year, your combined contributions across all three employers still cannot exceed $24,500 (or up to $35,750 with catch-up contributions).

Check your last pay stub from your old employer — it should show year-to-date 401(k) contributions. After January 31 of next year, your W-2 will show the exact figure in Box 12 with Code D (traditional) or Code AA (Roth). If you're unsure, contact your old employer's HR or payroll department.