01

Estimator scope

A ceiling, calculated. Not a tax return, not advice.

This estimator multiplies your own figures by the published contribution ceilings for each retirement account type. It is arithmetic, nothing more.

You enter an age, a net self-employment income and the share you plan to defer. The page then shows an illustrative ceiling for a Solo 401(k), SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, Traditional IRA and Roth IRA, drawn from the limits in force for the current tax year.

  • DoesShow the arithmetic ceiling each account type permits for the figures you type in.
  • Does notFile a return, compute your tax liability, or choose an account on your behalf.
  • Does notKnow about a spouse's plan, a workplace plan from another job, or your state's treatment of retirement income.
  • No adviceResults are general and non-personalized. They are not a recommendation for your circumstances.

Check every limit against the current IRS notice and a qualified tax professional before you open, amend or fund an account. The account comparison matrix shows the same figures side by side with their source footnotes.

Section 02

Your inputs

Five fields drive the arithmetic. Nothing is stored on our side and no account is opened here.

Catch-up contributions begin at 50, so the age band matters here.

Limits are published per tax year and change between them.

Structure decides whether the employer side of the calculation applies to you at all.

Net profit after business expenses, before retirement contributions.

A SEP IRA and SIMPLE IRA can require contributions for staff.

Illustrative arithmetic only, not personalized advice. Each figure assumes the published limit for the selected tax year and ignores your full tax picture, state treatment, and plan document terms.

Tax year 2025

Illustrative ceilings

Arithmetic only, not advice. Every row shows the most an account type could hold in the assumed case. The assumptions and sources sit below.

Net self-employment income $80,000, age 42. Catch-up amounts sit outside the annual additions cap.

Contribution ceilings by account type
Account Employee Employer Total
Solo 401(k) $23,500 $20,000 $43,500
SEP IRA $0 $20,000 $20,000
Traditional IRA $7,000 $0 $7,000
Roth IRA $7,000 $0 $7,000
SIMPLE IRA $16,500 $2,400 $18,900
  • 1 Elective deferral limit per participant for the 2025 tax year, counted across all 401(k) plans.
  • 2 Employer side of a Solo 401(k) or SEP IRA is capped at 25% of compensation and at the annual additions limit of $70,000.
  • 3 IRA limit is $7,000, plus $1,000 at age 50 and older. Roth eligibility also depends on income.
  • 4 SIMPLE IRA employer side reflects a 3% match. A 2% nonelective contribution is the alternative.

04

Assumptions and limits

Every figure the estimator returns is a published federal ceiling for the tax year you select, applied to an illustrative income. It is arithmetic, not advice, and it is not personalized to your filing status, your state, or your plan documents.

Limits by tax year

Federal ceilings used by the estimator. Amounts in U.S. dollars.
Limit 2024 2025 2026
Solo 401(k) elective deferral23,00023,50024,500
Catch-up, age 50 and older7,5007,5008,000
SEP IRA, and total defined contribution ceiling69,00070,00072,000
SIMPLE IRA deferral16,00016,50017,000
Traditional and Roth IRA7,0007,5007,500
Compensation used for percentage tests345,000350,000360,000

1. Figures reflect IRS annual cost-of-living adjustments for the plan years shown. Amended plan documents and current IRS notices govern.

What the estimator leaves out

  • Income phase-outs for Roth IRA contributions and for IRA deductibility.
  • State income tax, local rules, and any self-employment tax interaction.
  • Employer contribution formulas that must apply a uniform percentage to eligible employees.
  • Prior-year contributions, rollovers, and Roth conversions.

Numbers change most Januaries. Before you fund an account, check the current IRS figures for the plan year and confirm which deadline applies to your entity. If a figure here disagrees with the IRS, the IRS is right, and we want to hear about it through the corrections form on the About & Contact page.