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What taxpayers can do to Get Ready for the 2026 tax filing season

December 9, 2025

WASHINGTON - The new year is less than a month away which means the 2026 tax filing season is drawing near. The IRS encourages taxpayers to "Get Ready" and start preparing now. Taking a few steps today can save time and help taxpayers ensure they’re filing accurate returns in the coming months.

The annual IRS Get Ready campaign is a series of tips, reminders and new information for taxpayers on what they need to know in preparation for filing season. For example, the One, Big, Beautiful Bill brings several changes or additions that can significantly affect federal taxes, credits and deductions. Tax deductions for tips, overtime, car loan interest and seniors are just a few of many recent updates.

Here’s some of the things taxpayers can do now:

Access or login to an existing IRS online account

An IRS online account allows taxpayers to access personal tax information, including recently filed returns, securely. Through this tool, taxpayers can:

• ✓ View tax records, including adjusted gross income and transcripts
• ✓ Make, schedule and view payments
• ✓ Get or view their Identity Protection PIN
• ✓ Authorize a tax professional to access their tax records digitally
• ✓ Access available Forms W-2 and certain 1099s
• ✓ View and edit communication preferences from the IRS and alternative media such as Braille, large print and more
• ✓ Receive and view over 200 IRS digital notices
• ✓ Set up or change payment plans and check their balance

Gather and organize tax records

Having organized tax records helps taxpayers file complete and accurate tax returns and avoid errors that could delay refunds. This may also help the taxpayer identify deductions or credits that may have been overlooked.

Most income is taxable, including unemployment compensation, refund interest and income from the gig economy and digital assets. Taxpayers should watch for and gather essential forms, such as Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statement and other income documents, when they become available in 2026.

401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500

November 14, 2025

WASHINGTON - The Internal Revenue Service announced today that the amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans in 2026 has increased to $24,500, up from $23,500 for 2025.

The IRS today also issued technical guidance regarding all cost-of-living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2026 in Notice 2025-67, posted today on IRS.gov.

Highlights of changes for 2026

The annual contribution limit for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457 plans, and the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan is increased to $24,500, up from $23,500 for 2025.

The limit on annual contributions to an IRA is increased to $7,500 from $7,000. The IRA catch-up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over was amended under the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0) to include an annual cost-of-living adjustment is increased to $1,100, up from $1,000 for 2025.

The catch-up contribution limit that generally applies for employees aged 50 and over who participate in most 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457 plans, and the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan is increased to $8,000, up from $7,500 for 2025. Therefore, participants in most 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457 plans and the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan who are 50 and older generally can contribute up to $32,500 each year, starting in 2026. Under a change made in SECURE 2.0, a higher catch-up contribution limit applies for employees aged 60, 61, 62 and 63 who participate in these plans. For 2026, this higher catch-up contribution limit remains $11,250 instead of the $8,000 noted above.

The income ranges for determining eligibility to make deductible contributions to traditional Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), to contribute to Roth IRAs and to claim the Saver's Credit all increased for 2026.

Taxpayers can deduct contributions to a traditional IRA if they meet certain conditions. If during the year either the taxpayer or the taxpayer's spouse was covered by a retirement plan at work, the deduction may be reduced, or phased out, until it is eliminated, depending on filing status and income. (If neither the taxpayer nor the spouse is covered by a retirement plan at work, the phase-outs of the deduction do not apply.) Here are the phase-out ranges for 2026:

• ✓ For single taxpayers covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is increased to between $81,000 and $91,000, up from between $79,000 and $89,000 for 2025.
• ✓ For married couples filing jointly, if the spouse making the IRA contribution is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is increased to between $129,000 and $149,000, up from between $126,000 and $146,000 for 2025.
• ✓ For an IRA contributor who is not covered by a workplace retirement plan and is married to someone who is covered, the phase-out range is increased to between $242,000 and $252,000, up from between $236,000 and $246,000 for 2025.
• ✓ For a married individual filing a separate return who is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains between $0 and $10,000.

Other phase-out ranges and limitations

The notice also provides limitations for 2026 for Roth IRAs, the Saver's Credit and SIMPLE retirement accounts.

• ✓ The income phase-out range for taxpayers making contributions to a Roth IRA is increased to between $153,000 and $168,000 for singles and heads of household, up from between $150,000 and $165,000 for 2025. For married couples filing jointly, the income phase-out range is increased to between $242,000 and $252,000, up from between $236,000 and $246,000 for 2025. The phase-out range for a married individual filing a separate return who makes contributions to a Roth IRA is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains between $0 and $10,000.
• ✓ The income limit for the Saver's Credit (also known as the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit) for low- and moderate-income workers is $80,500 for married couples filing jointly, up from $79,000 for 2025; $60,375 for heads of household, up from $59,250 for 2025; and $40,250 for singles and married individuals filing separately, up from $39,500 for 2025.
• ✓ The amount individuals can generally contribute to their SIMPLE retirement accounts is increased to $17,000, up from $16,500 for 2025. Pursuant to a change made in SECURE 2.0, individuals can contribute a higher amount to certain applicable SIMPLE retirement accounts. For 2026, this higher amount is increased to $18,100, up from $17,600 for 2025.
• ✓ The catch-up contribution limit that generally applies for employees aged 50 and over who participate in most SIMPLE plans is increased to $4,000, up from $3,500 for 2025. Under a change made in SECURE 2.0, a different catch-up limit applies for employees aged 50 and over who participate in certain applicable SIMPLE plans, which remains $3,850. Under a change made in SECURE 2.0, a higher catch-up contribution limit applies for employees aged 60, 61, 62 and 63 who participate in SIMPLE plans, which remains $5,250.

Details on these and other retirement-related cost-of-living adjustments for 2026 are in Notice 2025-67, available on IRS.gov.

IRS Operations During the Lapse in Appropriations

November 2, 2025

WASHINGTON - Tax professionals should be aware of the following during the current lapse in appropriations due to limited IRS operations:

• ✓ Tax refunds. Generally, the IRS will not pay refunds. One key exception exists: the IRS will continue to pay individual refunds for your clients who requested direct deposit on their Forms 1040 if the client electronically filed the tax returns, the returns are error-free, and the returns can be automatically processed. The IRS urges tax professionals to electronically file their clients’ returns with direct deposit to avoid delays.
• ✓ Payments. The IRS will accept and process any payments and remittances received, whether received electronically or by mail.
• ✓ Correspondence. The IRS generally will not be responding to paper correspondence. Tax professionals who mail in correspondence to the IRS during this period should expect a delay for a response after full government operations resume due to a growing correspondence backlog.
• ✓ Telephones. Only limited live IRS telephone customer service assistance will be available; however, most automated toll-free telephone applications will remain operational.
• ✓ Taxpayer appointments. The IRS’s walk-in Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) are closed. Appointments are cancelled until the government reopens. Likewise, appointments related to the Independent Office of Appeals or Taxpayer Advocate Service cases are cancelled. IRS personnel will reschedule those meetings when the government reopens.
• ✓ Transcripts. Tax professionals needing historical filing information can use automated tools to request tax transcripts. In addition, the IRS will process transcript requests related to disaster relief.
• ✓ Income verification. The IRS Income Verification Express Service (IVES) will remain available.
• ✓ Tax-exempt groups. The IRS will not process applications or determinations for tax-exempt status or pension plans.
• ✓ Enforcement activity. Criminal Investigation work continues during this period, as does compliance work related to protecting statutes of limitations.
• ✓ 2026 filing season. The IRS will continue some critical operations during this period to be ready for tax professionals and their clients. These critical operations include testing and preparation of filing season programs and related issues.

Tax professionals and their clients should continue using the tools on IRS.gov, including Tax Pro Account, online account for individuals and Business Tax Account. The following resources can help tax professionals market and set up IRS online accounts:

The notice also provides limitations for 2026 for Roth IRAs, the Saver's Credit and SIMPLE retirement accounts.

• ✓ How to register for IRS online self-help tools
• ✓ Publication 5533, Access Your IRS Individual Online Account [PDF]
• ✓ Publication 5533-A, Tax Professionals: Save Time with The Tax Pro Account [PDF]
• ✓ Publication 5533-B, Tax Professionals: How to Manage Authorizations Using Tax Pro Account [PDF]
• ✓ Publication 5904, Access Your Business Tax Account [PDF]
• ✓ ID.me Help Center

One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Tax deductions for working Americans and seniors

July 15, 2025

WASHINGTON - Review the new provisions from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law on July 4, 2025, as Public Law 119-21, that go into effect for 2025. This includes information on "no tax on tips", "no tax on overtime", "no tax on car loan interest", and deductions for seniors.

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