The 2026 Retirement & Social Security Quick Reference Center

Your central hub for the most important 2026 retirement and Social Security figures. Updated as rules change so you always have the latest information at your fingertips.

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Full Retirement Age by Birth Year

Note: People who were born on January 1 of any year should refer to the previous year.

Survivor Benefits Only		All Other Benefits
Year of Birth	Full Retirement Age	Year of Birth	Full Retirement Age
1945–1956	66	1943–1954	66
1957	66 and 2 months	1955	66 and 2 months
1958	66 and 4 months	1956	66 and 4 months
1959	66 and 6 months	1957	66 and 6 months
1960	66 and 8 months	1958	66 and 8 months
1961	66 and 10 months	1959	66 and 10 months
1962 and later	67	1960 and later	67

Age-Based Reductions & Increases (Annual)

Note: Assuming FRA of 67.

Filing Age	Individual Benefit (% of benefit)	Spousal Benefit (% of benefit)	Survivor Benefit (% of benefit)
60	N/A	N/A	71.50%
61	N/A	N/A	75.58%
62	70%	65%	79.65%
63	75%	70%	83.72%
64	80%	75%	87.79%
65	86.66%	83.33%	91.86%
66	93.33%	91.66%	95.93%
67	100%	100%	100%
68	108%	100%	100%
69	116%	100%	100%
70	124%	100%	100%

Age-Based Reductions & Increases (Monthly)

Individual Benefits

(−) 5/9 of 1%	36-month period before full retirement age
(−) 5/12 of 1%	More than 36 months before full retirement age
(+) 2/3 of 1%	Full retirement age to age 70

Spousal Benefits

(−) 25/36 of 1%	36-month period before full retirement age
(−) 5/12 of 1%	More than 36 months before full retirement age
No increase beyond full retirement age

Survivor Benefits

28.5% is the maximum reduction regardless of full retirement age. To find the monthly reduction rate, divide 28.5% by the number of months from age 60 to full retirement age for survivor benefits.

2026 Earnings Limit

Age	Earnings Limit	Benefit Withheld
Age 62 – January 1 of the year reaching full retirement age	$24,480	$1 for every $2 over limit
Year reaching full retirement age	$65,160	$1 for every $3 over limit
Full retirement age	No limit	N/A

What Counts as “Earnings” for the Limit?

What Does Count

Gross Wages
Net earnings from self-employment

What Does Not Count

Pension payments
Annuity payments
IRA distributions
Dividends
Interest income
Capital gains

2026 Social Security Formula

PIA Formula Components

If you first become eligible for Social Security retirement benefits in 2026 (by attaining age 62, becoming disabled, or dying before age 62), your primary insurance amount (PIA — your full retirement age benefit) will be the sum of:

(a) 90 percent of the first $1,286 of your average indexed monthly earnings, plus

(b) 32 percent of your average indexed monthly earnings over $1,286 and through $7,749, plus

Tax on Social Security

Step 1

Calculate your combined income. Combined income is calculated as:

Adjusted gross income (excluding Social Security)
+ Tax-exempt interest
+ 50% of your Social Security benefits
= Combined income

Step 2

Apply combined income to the thresholds below to determine how much of your Social Security may be taxable.

Single Return	Joint Return	% of Social Security Subject to Tax
$0 – $24,999	$0 – $31,999	$0
$25,000 – $34,000	$32,000 – $44,000	Up to 50%
Over $34,000	Over $44,000	Up to 85%

Maximum % of Your Full Retirement Age Benefit an Eligible Family Member Can Receive If You:

Benefit Type	Die	Retire or Disabled	Age-Based Considerations
Spousal Benefit	100% (Adjusted for survivor's filing age)	50% (Adjusted for survivor's filing age)	If you retire or become disabled, your spouse can collect at age 62+ or at any age if caring for your child who is under 16 or disabled before age 22. If you die, your spouse of any age who is caring for your child who is under 16, or your child of any age if disabled before 22, may be eligible.
Child in Care Benefit	75%	50%	Payable to a spouse of any age who is caring for your child who is under 16, or your child of any age if the child was disabled before 22.
Children's Benefit	75%	50%	Payable to a child who is under 18, or 19 if still in high school, or a child of any age if disabled before 22.

Family Maximum Benefit

2026 Formula

For the family of a worker who becomes age 62 or dies in 2026 before attaining age 62, the total amount of benefits payable will be computed so that it does not exceed:

(a) 150 percent of the first $1,643 of the worker's PIA, plus

(b) 272 percent of the worker's PIA over $1,643 through $2,371, plus

(d) 175 percent of the worker's PIA over $3,093.

Length of Marriage Rules

Minimum Length of Marriage	Benefit Type
9 months	Survivor benefits
1 year	Spousal retirement benefits
10 years	Divorced spouse benefits

*Some exceptions apply.

Spousal Benefit Formula

How It's Calculated

(½ of higher earner’s FRA benefit)

− (lower earner’s FRA benefit)

= Spousal Benefit (then adjusted for filing age)

Medicare Premiums & IRMAA Surcharge – 2026

Standard Part B premium (per person): $202.90

	Your 2024 MAGI Was:		IRMAA Surcharge (Monthly)
Bracket	MFJ	Single	Part B	Part D
1	$218,000 or less	$109,000 or less	–	–
2	$218,001 – $274,000	$109,001 – $137,000	$81.20	$14.50
3	$274,001 – $342,000	$137,001 – $171,000	$202.90	$37.50
4	$342,001 – $410,000	$171,001 – $205,000	$324.60	$60.40
5	$410,001 – $749,999	$205,001 – $499,999	$446.30	$83.30
6	$750,000 or more	$500,000 or more	$487.00	$91.00

2026 Medicare premiums and IRMAA surcharges are based on 2024 MAGI (two-year lookback). Surcharges are added per person, per month.

Stopping Benefit Payments

Option	Summary
Voluntary suspension	At any time between your full retirement age (FRA) and age 70, you can elect to voluntarily suspend your individual benefit. During the suspension period: You earn delayed retirement credits, which can increase your monthly benefit when payments resume. You are not eligible to receive benefits on someone else’s Social Security record. Benefits to anyone else collecting on your work history – except divorced spouses – will also be suspended.
Request for withdrawal of application	Form SSA-521 (often called the “do-over form”) allows someone who has started Social Security benefits to rescind that election, postpone collection until a later time, and claim higher benefits. To be eligible, you must: Submit the form within 12 months of starting benefits, and Repay all benefits received (including any paid to family members). The request can be made only once in your lifetime.

Option

Summary

Voluntary suspension

At any time between your full retirement age (FRA) and age 70, you can elect to voluntarily suspend your individual benefit. During the suspension period:

You earn delayed retirement credits, which can increase your monthly benefit when payments resume.
You are not eligible to receive benefits on someone else’s Social Security record.
Benefits to anyone else collecting on your work history – except divorced spouses – will also be suspended.

Request for withdrawal of application

Form SSA-521 (often called the “do-over form”) allows someone who has started Social Security benefits to rescind that election, postpone collection until a later time, and claim higher benefits. To be eligible, you must:

Submit the form within 12 months of starting benefits, and
Repay all benefits received (including any paid to family members).

The request can be made only once in your lifetime.

Retirement Planning

Federal Income Tax Capital Gains Tax Net Investment Income Tax Standard Deductions & More Retirement Plan Limits Required Minimum Distributions

Federal Income Tax Brackets – 2026

Tax Rate	MFJ	Single	Head of Household	Estates & Trusts
10%	$0 – $24,800	$0 – $12,400	$0 – $17,700	$0 – $3,300
12%	$24,801 – $100,800	$12,401 – $50,400	$17,701 – $67,450	–
22%	$100,801 – $211,400	$50,401 – $105,700	$67,451 – $105,700	–
24%	$211,401 – $403,550	$105,701 – $201,775	$105,701 – $201,775	$3,301 – $11,700
32%	$403,551 – $512,450	$201,776 – $256,225	$201,776 – $256,200	–
35%	$512,451 – $768,700	$256,226 – $640,600	$256,201 – $640,600	$11,701 – $16,000
37%	Over $768,700	Over $640,600	Over $640,600	Over $16,000

Rates apply to taxable income (i.e., income after deductions).

Long-Term Capital Gains Tax – 2026

Tax Rate	0% Rate	15% Rate	20% Rate
MFJ	$0 – $98,900	$98,901 – $613,700	> $613,700
Single	$0 – $49,450	$49,451 – $545,500	> $545,500
Estates & Trusts	$0 – $3,300	$3,301 – $16,250	> $16,250

Rates apply to long-term capital gains and qualified dividends, and are based on taxable income.

3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT)

Filing Status	MAGI Threshold
MFJ	$250,000
Single	$200,000
Head of Household	$200,000
MFS	$125,000
Estates & Trusts	$13,450

Paid on the lesser of net investment income or the excess of MAGI over the applicable threshold.

Deductions

Standard Deduction – 2026

Filing Status	Standard Deduction	Additional (Age 65+ or Blind)
MFJ	$32,200	Married (each eligible spouse): $1,650
Single	$16,100	Unmarried (Single, HOH): $2,050

Itemized Deductions (Schedule A)

Type	Amount	Phaseout Range
SALT	$40,400	$505,000 – $605,000 (single or MFJ)

Non-Itemized Below-the-Line Deductions

Type	Amount	Phaseout Range
Senior (65+)	$6,000 (per eligible individual)	$75,000 – $175,000 (single) $150,000 – $250,000 (MFJ)
Charitable	$1,000 (single) $2,000 (MFJ)	N/A
Overtime	$12,500 (single) $25,000 (MFJ)	$150,000 – $275,000 (single) $300,000 – $550,000 (MFJ)
Tips	$25,000 (single or MFJ)	$150,000 – $400,000 (single) $300,000 – $550,000 (MFJ)
Car Loan Interest	$10,000 (on US-assembled vehicles)	$100,000 – $150,000 (single) $200,000 – $250,000 (MFJ)
QBI	Up to 20% of QBI ($400 minimum)	$201,750 – $276,750 (single) $403,500 – $553,500 (MFJ)

Retirement Plan Limits – 2026

Elective Deferrals (401(k), 403(b), 457)

Type	Limit
Contribution limit	$24,500
Catch-up (age 50+)	$8,000
Catch-up (ages 60–63)	$11,250
403(b) additional catch-up 15+ years of service (not all plans permit this)	$3,000

Defined Contribution Plan

Item	Limit
Eligible compensation limit	$360,000
Annual addition limit per participant	$72,000

Defined Benefit Plan (Max Annual Benefit)

Item	Limit
Maximum annual benefit	$290,000

SIMPLE IRA

Item	Limit
Contribution limit	$17,000 ($18,100 if eligible for 10% increase)
Catch-up (age 50+)	$4,000 ($3,850 if eligible for 10% increase)
Catch-up (ages 60–63)	$5,250

SEP IRA

Item	Limit
Maximum % of compensation Adjusted net earnings if self-employed	25%
Contribution limit	$72,000
Minimum compensation	$800

Traditional IRA & Roth IRA Contributions

Item	Limit
Contribution limit	$7,500
Catch-up (age 50+)	$1,100

Roth IRA Eligibility (MAGI Phaseouts)

Filing Status	MAGI Phaseout Range
Single	$153,000 – $168,000
Married filing jointly	$242,000 – $252,000

Traditional IRA Deductibility (If Covered by Work Plan)

Filing Status	MAGI Phaseout Range
Single	$81,000 – $91,000
Married filing jointly	$129,000 – $149,000
MFJ (only spouse is covered)	$244,000 – $254,000

Other Retirement-Related Limits

Item	Limit
Qualified Longevity Annuity Contract (QLAC)	$210,000 (lifetime limit)
Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)	$111,000 (per year)

Health Savings Account (HSA) – 2026

Coverage	Contribution Limit	Minimum Annual Deductible	Max Out-of-Pocket Expense
Individual	$4,400	$1,700	$8,500
Family	$8,750	$3,400	$17,000
Age 55+ Catch-Up	$1,000	–	–

HSA limits apply to qualifying High-Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs).

RMD Start Ages

Age at Which RMDs Begin

Birth Year	Age at Which RMDs Begin
1950 or earlier	72
1951 – 1959	73
1960 or later	75

1. Ages above are for RMDs from your own accounts. Rules for inherited accounts vary.

2. The previous 70½ RMD age applied only to individuals who reached age 70½ before 2020.

Uniform Lifetime Table

Used to calculate the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) for account owners who have reached their Required Beginning Date (RBD) or have chosen to be treated as their deceased spouse, if applicable. This chart does not apply when the spousal beneficiary is more than 10 years younger or for inherited accounts.

Age	Life Expectancy Factor	Age	Life Expectancy Factor
72	27.4	84	16.8
73	26.5	85	16.0
74	25.5	86	15.2
75	24.6	87	14.4
76	23.7	88	13.7
77	22.9	89	12.9
78	22.0	90	12.2

79	21.1	91	11.5
80	20.2	92	10.8
81	19.4	93	10.1
82	18.5	94	9.5
83	17.7	95	8.9
84	16.8	96	8.4
85	16.0	97	7.8
86	15.2	98	7.3
87	14.4	99	6.8
88	13.7	100	6.4
89	12.9	101	6.0
90	12.2	102	5.6
91	11.5	103	5.2
92	10.8	104	4.9
93	10.1	105	4.6
94	9.5	106	4.3
95	8.9	107	4.1
96	8.4	108	3.9
97	7.8	109	3.7
98	7.3	110	3.5
99	6.8	111	3.4
100	6.4	112	3.3
101	6.0	113	3.1
102	5.6	114	3.0
103	5.2	115	2.9
104	4.9	116	2.8
105	4.6	117	2.7
106	4.3	118	2.5
107	4.1	119	2.3
108	3.9	120 and older	2.0

RMD Calculation Example

To calculate your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), use this formula for each applicable account:

Account balance as of December 31 last year ÷ Life expectancy factor (from the applicable table using the age you turn this year) = Your RMD

Example

Account balance: $100,000.00
Life expectancy factor (age 76): 23.7
RMD: $100,000.00 ÷ 23.7 = $4,219.41

RMD Timing

Account Type	Timing of First RMD
IRAs including traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE	By April 1 of the year after you reach your RMD age.
401(k), 403(b), 457(b), or other qualified plan	By April 1 of the year after reaching RMD age. If you are still employed and not a 5% owner, you may be able to delay your first RMD until April 1 of the year after you retire from your employer’s plan.
Roth IRA	No RMDs required.
Roth 401(k), 403(b), or 457(b)	No RMDs required.
Inherited retirement accounts	If the original owner had not taken their RMD, beneficiaries must ensure it is taken by Dec 31 of the year of death. Ongoing inherited RMD rules are complex.

RMD Aggregation Rules

Account Type	Aggregation Rule
IRAs including traditional, rollover, SEP, and SIMPLE	You may aggregate RMDs across IRAs.
401(k) or other qualified pre-tax plan	Each plan must satisfy its own RMD.
Governmental 457(b) plans	Each plan must satisfy its own RMD.
403(b) plans	You may aggregate with other 403(b) accounts only.
Roth IRA	No RMDs for original owners.
Roth 401(k), 403(b), or 457(b)	No RMDs for original owners.

Inherited IRA Overview

Category	Description
Beneficiary Types	Rules vary by the beneficiary’s relationship: spouse, child under 21, disabled/chronically ill, or a beneficiary more than 10 years younger.
Spouse Beneficiary	May treat the IRA as their own. RMDs use their life expectancy and RMD age.
10-Year Rule	Most non-spouse beneficiaries must empty the account within 10 years.
RMD Continuation	If the owner had begun RMDs, many beneficiaries must continue annual RMDs and still meet the 10-year requirement.
Special Cases	Certain beneficiaries (children under 21, disabled, chronically ill, or >10 years younger) may have different withdrawal options.

Feeling overwhelmed by retirement planning? You’re not alone. I’m Devin Carroll, and for over two decades, I’ve helped people gain clarity and retire with confidence.

If you're ready to get personalized help, you can schedule a Retirement Clarity Meeting here.

Devin Carroll, CFP®

This guide is meant to provide general information. Please do not rely solely on the information contained herein when making decisions. You should always consult with your own tax, legal, and financial professionals.

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