A $500-a-year boost to the annual saving ceiling

Good news for employees who save for retirement using a workplace-sponsored 401(k) plan, a 403(b) plan, or a 457 plan (available for government and certain non-government employers). On Oct. 19, 2017, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) raised the annual contribution limits for 2018 to $18,500, a slight increase from the 2017 limit of $18,000. The modest bump is a cost-of-living adjustment.

In addition, for 2018, the IRS raised 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.

An opportune time to consider offering a retirement plan

While the size of the increase to the 401(k) plan contribution limit is relatively modest, the boost signals an opportune time to consider adding a retirement savings program to your benefits menu if you don’t already have one. The savings rate among Americans today is shockingly low: More than half of U.S. workers don’t have access to a retirement savings plan to help them save for the long-term. And a recent Paychex Small Business Survey, which polled 250 principals of U.S. companies with two to 500 employees, found that more than half of small companies don’t have a retirement savings planfor either employees or owners.

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