Month: January 2026

Retirement Planning: 2026 IRS Retirement Plan Contribution Limits 

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It’s important that you continue to monitor and adjust how much you’re saving if you want to have a comfortable retirement, whether that’s around the corner or 30+ years from now. The IRS places limits on how much employees can contribute to a retirement plan each year and recently announced the retirement plan limits for 2026.  

In addition to new contribution limits, requirements in SECURE 2.0 Act begin, and the new after-tax Roth option is now available. You can learn more on the After-Tax Roth and SECURE 2.0 Act HR webpage or the recent Q&A with HR’s retirement expert, Dan, about the SECURE Act 2.0 requirements and new Roth option.  

Review the 2026 IRS retirement contribution limits below: 

  • The contribution limits for the 403(b) Supplemental (either pre-tax and/or after-tax Roth) and the 457(b) Deferred Compensation (either pre-tax and/or after-tax Roth) accounts are $24,500 each.  
    • The combined contribution limit for the 403(b) Supplemental (combined pre-tax and after-tax Roth) options cannot exceed $24,500, and is reduced by any Voluntary 403(b) Base employee contributions. 
    • The contribution limit for the 457(b) Deferred Comp. (combined pre-tax and after-tax Roth) is separate from the 403(b) plans, so you may contribute $24,500 to both the 457(b) and 403(b) plans. 
  • Individuals aged 50-59 or 64+ can contribute an additional $8,000 catch-up contribution separately to both the 403(b) Supplemental and the 457(b) Deferred Compensation accounts (and they can be pre-tax or after-tax Roth).  
    • Those who earned more than $150,000 in 2025 must make the 2026 catch-up contributions as after-tax Roth per the federal SECURE 2.0 Act.  
  • Individuals aged 60-63 can contribute an additional $11,250 catch-up contribution separately to the 403(b) Supplemental and the 457(b) Deferred Compensation accounts (and they can be pre-tax or after-tax Roth).  
    • Those who earned more than $150,000 in 2025 must make the 2026 catch-up contributions as after-tax Roth per the federal SECURE 2.0 Act. 
  • Since contributions to the 403(b) Base Retirement Program can only be 5%, the limit is 5% of their eligible pay up to the IRS salary limit. 

The following chart also shares the 2026 IRS retirement plan contribution limits and the SECURE 2.0 Act requirements. 

2026 IRS Retirement Plan Contribution Limits
Retirement PlanEligibility Criteria1Standard Contribution LimitCatch-up Contribution LimitTotal Contribution Limit for 2026
403(b) Supplemental
(contributions can be pre-tax or after-tax Roth unless noted otherwise. The standard contribution amount is reduced by any Voluntary 403(b) Base employee contribution)		Under 50Earned less than $150,000$24,500N/A$24,500
Earned more than $150,000
Age 50-59Earned less than $150,000$24,500$8,000$32,500
Earned more than $150,000You must make your catch-up contributions (up to $8,000) as after-tax Roth.$32,500
Age 60-63Earned less than $150,000$24,500$11,250$35,750
Earned more than $150,000You must make your catch-up contributions (up to $11,250) as after-tax Roth.$35,750
Age 64+Earned less than $150,000$24,500$8,000$32,500
Earned more than $150,000You must make your catch-up contributions (up to $8,000) as after-tax Roth.$32,500
457(b) Deferred Compensation
(contributions can be pre-tax or after-tax Roth unless noted otherwise)		Under 50Earned less than $150,000$24,500N/A$24,500
Earned more than $150,000
Age 50-59Earned less than $150,000$24,500$8,000$32,500
Earned more than $150,000You must make your catch-up contributions (up to $11,250) as after-tax Roth.$32,500
Age 60-63Earned less than $150,000$24,500$11,250$35,750
Earned more than $150,000You must make your catch-up contributions (up to $11,250) as after-tax Roth.$35,750
Age 64+Earned less than $150,000$24,500$8,000$32,500
Earned more than $150,000You must make your catch-up contributions (up to $8,000) as after-tax Roth. $32,500
Notes:
1. Your age in the chart above is based on the age you will be on December 31, 2026. The $150,000 limit is based on your MSU 2025 W-2 Form Box 3 Social Security wages. There are other IRS limits that may reduce the amounts of the Standard Contribution Limit. 

How to Adjust Your Savings 

If you want to save as much as possible for your retirement, a tool in the EBS Portal called the Max Savings Contributions Calculator is available to assist you. This tool automatically displays the remaining amount of retirement contributions you have available before reaching one of the limits, and the equivalent percentage of your pay to help you spread that out for the year.  

To access this tool:  

  1. Login to the EBS Portal with your MSU NetID and password.  
  2. Click the My Benefits tab at the top.  
  3. Click the Benefit/Retirement tile.  
  4. Select Enroll/Change my Retirement/Health Savings Account Options in the drop-down menu and then click Next in the bottom right.  
  5. Navigate in the bar graph to the Savings Plans screen by clicking Next in the bottom right.  
  6. The Max Savings Contributions Calculator screen will display. This display will automatically show the remaining amount of retirement contributions you have available (if any) before reaching the IRS limit.  
  7. You can adjust the percentage of your contributions to any retirement plans you participate in by clicking on the pencil icon and then choosing Select to make the change.  
  8. If you want to enroll in a new plan account type (including new after-tax Roth options), begin by clicking on the paper icon next to the plan type and vendor of your choosing, and then enter the percentage of your new contribution and choose Select to enroll.  
  9. Make sure to click on Save in the bottom right to complete and save any changes/enrollments.  

If you are an academic year faculty or academic staff employee, or a Voluntary 403(b) Base participant aged 50 and over, contact the HR Solutions Center at 517-353-4434 or SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu for further assistance in calculating your maximum contribution percentage.  

Learn More About MSU’s Retirement Plans  

The â€ŻHR website  also contains a wealth of information about the different types of retirement plans offered, retirement investment vendors, and planning tools available.  You can learn more on the After-Tax Roth and SECURE 2.0 Act HR webpage or the recent Q&A with HR’s retirement expert, Dan, about the SECURE Act 2.0 requirements and new Roth option.  

New Year, New Professional Development Courses

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As we step into 2026, it’s the perfect time to set your professional development goals—and we’ve got exciting opportunities to help you thrive this year. 

New or Updated Courses for 2026: 

  • Spartan Excellence Learning Series on January 27 and 28: Through a sequence of skill-building modules, participants will learn how to define problems, analyze processes, design improvements, and implement sustainable solutions. By integrating Lean methods within the broader Operational Excellence framework, the series helps create lasting practices that enhance efficiency, transparency, and the overall Spartan Experience.   
  • Travel Expense Report Processing on March 10: Learn the essentials of submitting accurate travel expense reports at MSU. This session will walk you through the required documentation, Concur tips, policy highlights, and best practices for timely reimbursement. 
  • Engaging and Empowering Teams on March 11: Leaders can learn evidence-based strategies to engage and empower employees, understand employees’ perspectives, and reflect on and assess your own supervisory practices. 
  • Mental Health First Aid on March 18: This evidence-based training that teaches participants how to recognize the signs and symptoms of a mental health crisis and help someone who may be experiencing one. 
  • Five Behaviors: Personal Development on April 16: Based on the book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni, this course helps individuals become better teammates. This program is for individual contributors. Using activities, videos, and discussion, participants learn the behaviors that will enable them to become better teammates. 

Upcoming Courses in January or February 

  • Crucial Influence  |  Virtual  |  January 27, 28, and 29  |  9 to 11:30 a.m. 
  • Getting Things Done  |  Virtual  |  February 10, 11, and 12 |  9 to 11:30 a.m. 

You can find all of HR Organization and Professional Development’s courses on the HR website. This is the perfect time to reflect on your goals and plan for the year ahead. What skills do you want to build? What challenges are you ready to tackle? With so many opportunities on the horizon, we’re here to help you make 2026 your most impactful year yet! 

January Events Round-Up

Published on by Abigail MillerLeave a comment

The new year is here! If you and your family are looking for upcoming events to ring in the new year, you have come to the right place! January holds many virtual and in-person opportunities in the Greater Lansing area for you to check out. Click the links below to explore future events and register if required.

Campus Events

January 4, 15 and 22 – MSU Women’s Home Basketball Games: Come visit the Breslin Center and cheer on the Michigan State Spartans Women’s Basketball at a home game this January! 

January 4, 11, 18 and 25 – The Great Solar System Adventure:  Join showman extraordinaire “The Great Schiaparelli” as he takes the audience on a death-defying space-time adventure within his wondrous Observatorium. prepare to be subjected to the myriad dangers and wonders of our Solar System, on a breathtaking tour that reveals just how precious our home planet really is.

January 15 – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Unity Dinner: Please join us for a wonderful buffet dinner and program honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy! 

January 18 – Spirituals, Prayer, and Protest Concert: In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, this powerful annual concert blends music and message through the lens of jazz. Featuring the MSU Jazz Orchestras and jazz vocalist Carmen Bradford, joined by MSU jazz voice students, the performance offers a stirring tribute through spirituals, reflective works, and bold expressions of hope and justice.

January 20 – Finding Your Voice with Your Vote (Panel Discussion): Get inspired to honor a legacy with the power of the vote.Join the conversation as a panel of experts explore featured clips from the PBS program John Lewis: Get in the Way, and discuss the history behind voting rights, breakdown how your vote is counted, and share how you can harness this essential tool of democracy to honor the legacy of advocates that came before us.

January 24 – Virtual Workshop: Cultural Mapping with Sao Sreymao: How many ways can we map a place? In this online workshop, artist Sao Sreymao will teach us about cultural mapping, a method that uses alternative practices such as art and local stories to understand how communities perceive places. 

January 30 – Winter Opening Party at the MSU Broad Art Museum: Kick off 2026 with us at MSU Broad Art Museum’s Winter Opening Party! Check out the newest exhibitions while enjoying music, art-making activities, and more. All ages are welcome to this museum-wide party! 

January 21 – Why We March: From the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter: Join MSU Libraries for a pop-up exhibition to highlight historical marches and commemorate the anniversary of the March on Washington. The exhibition showcases a collection of 40 protest posters compiled at the 57th anniversary of the March on Washington in 1963.

Through February 28 – MLK Commemorative Celebration Stuff the Library Event: The MSU Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Celebration Planning Committee is hosting another Stuff the Library event as a component of this year’s celebration to benefit East Lansing Public Schools. The event aims to fill school libraries with books on social justice topics and characters representing diverse backgrounds.

Learning Opportunities

January 14 – Women Talk Money: Your money routine, your rules: Turn your monthly financial to-do list into a routine you’ll actually enjoy—and even want to keep. Discover simple steps and mindset shifts that can help you stay consistent, save more, and stress less.

January 21 – Ask Fidelity Anything: Trading individual bonds & CDs: Don’t miss this live “Ask Fidelity Anything” (AFA) on trading individual bonds & CDs in both the new issue & secondary markets.

January 22 – Bystander Intervention Training: This one-hour interactive course is designed to provide participants with strategies designed to prevent and interrupt problematic behavior associated with gender-based discrimination or harassment in the workplace. Session attendees should leave the program with a better understanding of and increased confidence in Bystander Intervention skills, including knowledge of various MSU-specific support resources.

January 27, 28 and 29 – Crucial Influence:  Leaders must be able to influence behavior to achieve team goals and organizational objectives, and the Crucial Influence Model reveals why people do what they do and how leaders at every level can influence behavior for lasting results. If you are a mid to high-level leader who is responsible for directing change and improving efforts, this is a great course for you! 

January 27 and 28 – Spartan Excellence Learning Series: This two day series equips learners with the knowledge, skills, and mindset to improve processes, strengthen accountability, and build a culture of continuous improvement. Grounded in the principles of Operational Excellence, the program emphasizes aligning improvements with MSU’s mission, values, and the 2030 Strategic Plan.  

Family Friendly Events

January 3 – Sensory Friendly Showtime: Developed in partnership with Family Hope Foundation, Sensory Showtimes make movies extra welcoming to guests with special needs, including autism. January’s movie is David! 

January 3, 17 and 31 – Meridian Farmers’ Indoor Market: Farmers’ Market Moves Indoors! The Market will move indoors to the JCPenney corridor of the Meridian Mall Starting on Saturday, November 29 and will run through April.

January 9 – Sensory Friendly Night: Harris Nature Center invites families with members who have sensory processing needs to a special after hours evening. Their friendly and welcoming staff will have the building open and exhibits will be altered to reduce sounds and lighting. HNC will also provide a quiet room and sensory kits will be on hand.This event is open to all ages and abilities!

January 11 – Storytime at the Michigan History Museum: Join Ms. Cassie from Capital Area District Libraries for a Pop-Up Storytime at the Michigan History Museum!

Greater Lansing Area Events

January 8 – Zoso: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience: Visit Grewal Hall  to see Zosom which has become one of the most iconic and respected Led Zeppelin tribute experiences in the world.

January 22 – Lansing Symphony Orchestra: Visit the Robin Theatre in Lansing for the unique, intimate concerts of contemporary chamber music from the Lansing Symphony Orchestra. 

January 23 — 26 – Michigan’s 189th Birthday Bash: Visit Mason to celebrate Michigan’s 189th Birthday! All things Michigan and shop over 100 Michigan small businesses. More details to follow soon. Be sure to follow along our event calendars.