2026 tax year
Saver's credit calculator
A credit that pays you back for saving for retirement, if your income is modest enough.
The saver's credit (the retirement savings contributions credit) rewards lower-income workers for paying into a 401(k) or IRA. It is worth 50%, 20% or 10% of up to $2,000 of contributions ($4,000 if married filing jointly), depending on which income tier you fall in, a maximum of $1,000 ($2,000 joint). This works out your exact credit from your income, status and contribution.
401(k), IRA, etc. Counts up to $2,000 ($4,000 if joint).
Enter your income and contribution.
Worked example, the same contribution, three incomes
The rate steps down as income rises, so where you land matters more than how much you put in:
| Filer | AGI | Rate | Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single, $2,000 contributed | $24,000 | 50% | $1,000 |
| Single, $2,000 contributed | $30,000 | 10% | $200 |
| Single, $2,000 contributed | $45,000 | 0% | $0 |
| Married joint, $4,000 contributed | $50,000 | 20% | $800 |
A single filer at $24,000 is in the 50% tier, $1,000 on a $2,000 contribution. The same contribution at $30,000 falls to the 10% tier, just $200, and at $45,000 the credit is gone. The tier thresholds shift the credit far more than the contribution does.
Questions
What contributions count?
Contributions to a traditional or Roth IRA, a 401(k), 403(b), 457, SIMPLE or SEP, and to an ABLE account, up to $2,000 per person ($4,000 on a joint return). Rollovers do not count.
What are the 2026 income tiers?
For single filers: 50% of your contribution up to $24,250 of AGI, 20% up to $26,250, 10% up to $40,250, then nothing. Head-of-household and joint filers use higher tiers, topping out at $60,375 and $80,500. The rate steps rather than slides, so a few hundred dollars of income can drop you a whole tier.
Is the saver's credit refundable?
No. It reduces the tax you owe but is not paid back beyond that. A worker with very low income and little tax liability may not be able to use the full credit, an irony of a credit aimed at lower earners.
Can students claim it?
No. Full-time students, anyone claimed as a dependent, and those under 18 are ineligible, regardless of income or contributions.
Related tools
- Paycheck calculator model a 401(k) contribution
- Benefits and retirement
- Earned income credit calculator
Eligibility estimate for the 2026 tax year. The exact credit needs your income tier from Form 8880. Not tax advice.