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Article | Insider

2024 inflation-adjusted limits announced for a range of employee benefit plans

By Cindy Brockhausen , Gary Chase and Kathleen Rosenow | November 22, 2023

The 2024 tax-related limits could affect the design, administration and tax reporting for employee retirement and benefit-related plans.
Benefits Administration and Outsourcing Solutions|Health and Benefits|Retirement
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On November 9, 2023, the IRS released Revenue Procedure 2023-34 containing the 2024 tax-year inflation adjustments for a number of income tax provisions, including health flexible spending accounts, qualified transportation fringe benefits, qualified adoption assistance programs and eligible long-term care premiums. Revenue Procedure 2023-34 also includes the indexed dollar amounts for the federal income tax-related standard deduction and the federal income tax rate tables for 2024.

On November 1, 2023, the IRS released Notice 2023-75, which includes the qualified retirement plan limits for 2024. These limits restrict the contributions that can be made to, and benefits that can be paid from, qualified retirement plans as well as the compensation that can be used when determining benefits.

The table below includes these limits, along with the Social Security maximum taxable wage base that was announced on October 12, 2023, and the limits relevant to health savings accounts and excepted-benefit health reimbursement arrangements that were released earlier this year in Revenue Procedure 2023-23.

The 2024 tax-related limits potentially affect the design, administration, communication and tax reporting for retirement and benefit-related plans.

Inflation-adjusted benefit and retirement plan limits, 2024 vs. 2023

Inflation-adjusted benefit and retirement plan limits, 2024 vs. 2023
2023 2024
Health flexible spending accounts (health FSAs) (general and limited purpose)
Maximum annual health FSA salary reduction contribution $3,050 $3,200
Maximum annual health FSA carryover of unused amounts from the prior plan year for plans that permit carryover $610 $640
Qualified transportation fringe benefits  
Monthly limitation amounts    
— Transit pass and commuter highway vehicle (combined) $300 $315
— Qualified parking $300 $315
Qualified adoption assistance    
Maximum per adoption income tax exclusion    
— Child with special needs (regardless of actual expenses) $15,950 $16,810
— Other adoptions $15,950 $16,810
Adjusted gross income (AGI) tax exclusion phaseout    
— Phaseout begins $239,230 $252,150
— Phaseout complete $279,230 $292,150
Dependent care assistance (including FSAs)[1]    
Maximum annual dependent care assistance benefit    
— Individual or a married couple filing jointly $5,000 $5,000
— Married individual filing separately $2,500 $2,500
Qualified retirement plan limits    
Maximum recognizable compensation $330,000 $345,000
Highly compensated employee $150,000 $155,000
Section 415 benefit limits    
— Defined benefit plans $265,000 $275,000
— Defined contribution plans $66,000 $69,000
Limit on pretax elective deferrals    
— Under age 50 $22,500 $23,000
— Age 50 and over $30,000 $30,500
Qualifying longevity annuity contract (QLAC)[2]    
Investment limit $200,000 $200,000
Social Security taxable wage base    
Taxable wage base $160,200 $168,600
Eligible long-term care (LTC) premiums    
Annual limitation on LTC premiums includible as medical care    
Age before close of tax year    
— 40 or under $480 $470
— More than 40 but not more than 50 $890 $880
— More than 50 but not more than 60 $1,790 $1,760
— More than 60 but not more than 70 $4,770 $4,710
— More than 70 $5,960 $5,880
Standard deduction    
Filing status    
— Married individuals filing jointly $27,700 $29,200
— Heads of households $20,800 $21,900
— Unmarried individuals $13,850 $14,600
— Married individuals filing separately $13,850 $14,600
Health savings accounts (HSAs)    
Individual coverage    
— Maximum annual HSA contribution $3,850 $4,150
— Minimum annual deductible for HDHP $1,500 $1,600
— Maximum annual out-of-pocket expenses for HDHP $7,500 $8,050
Family coverage    
— Maximum annual HSA contribution $7,750 $8,300
— Minimum annual deductible for HDHP $3,000 $3,200
— Maximum annual out-of-pocket expenses for HDHP $15,000 $16,100
Catch-up contributions[3] (for individuals attaining age 55 by December 31 until enrolled in Medicare) $1,000 $1,000
Excepted-benefit HRAs    
— Maximum amount employers can contribute $1,950 $2,100

Footnotes

  1. The dependent care assistance limits under Internal Revenue Code section 129 are not adjusted for inflation; any change would require statutory amendment. Return to article
  2. SECURE 2.0 increased the dollar limitation for qualifying longevity annuity contract premiums to $200,000 and provided for inflation adjustments beginning January 1, 2024; however, the limit remains at $200,000 for 2024. Return to article
  3. The HSA catch-up contribution amount for participants attaining age 55 by December 31 of the tax year is not adjusted for inflation; any change would require statutory amendment. Return to article

Authors


Associate – Research

Director, Retirement and Executive Compensation

Senior Regulatory Advisor, Health and Benefits

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