IRS Employee Benefit Plan Limits
2026 IRS Employee Benefit Plan Limits
The table below compares the applicable dollar limits for certain employee benefit programs and the Social Security wage base for 2025 and 2026.*
| Health Flexible Spending Accounts | 2026 | 2025 |
| Maximum salary reduction limit | $3,400 | $3,300 |
| Health FSA Carryover Limit | $680 | $660 |
| Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts± | 2026 | 2025 |
| If employee is married and filing a joint return or if the employee is a single parent |
$7,500 | $5,000 |
| If employee is married but filing separately | $3,750 | $2,500 |
| 2026 | 2025 | |
| Excepted Benefit Health Reimbursement Arrangements (EBHRA) | $2,200 | $2,150 |
|
Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefit and Qualified Parking (monthly limit) |
$340 | $325 |
|
Educational Assistance Highly compensated employee threshold |
$5,250 (not yet announced for 2026) |
$5,250 $160,000 |
| High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA) | ||
| 2026 | 2025 | |
| HDHP — Maximum annual out-of-pocket limit (excluding premiums): | ||
| Self-only coverage | $8,500 | $8,300 |
| Family coverage | $17,000 | $16,600 |
| HDHP — Minimum annual deductible: | ||
| Self-only coverage | $1,700 | $1,650 |
| Family coverage | $3,400 | $3,300 |
| HSA — Annual contribution limit: | ||
| (Employee + Employer Contributions Combined) | ||
| Self-only coverage | $4,400 | $4,300 |
| Family coverage | $8,750 | $8,550 |
| Catch-up contributions (age 55 or older)± | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| QSEHRA (Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Agreement) | 2026 | 2025 |
| Self-only coverage | $6,450 | $6,350 |
| Family coverage | $13,100 | $12,800 |
* The dollar limits are generally applied on a calendar year basis; however, certain dollar limits are applied on a plan-year, tax-year, or limitation-year basis.
± Not indexed for cost-of-living adjustments.
