Employee Benefits

IRS Announces 2018 Cost of Living Adjustments

Oct 31, 2017
Matthew P. Chiarello, Partner
Matthew P. Chiarello,
Partner

This post has been updated as of June 7, 2018, to reflect the revised maximum annual HSA contribution limit for family coverage set out in Revenue Procedures 2018-18 and 2018-27.

The IRS recently announced cost-of-living adjustments for 2018 in Notice 2017-64 and related guidance.  The key dollar limits for qualified retirement plans and health and welfare plans are noted below.

Qualified Retirement Plan Dollar Limits

  2017 2018
Limit on Section 401(k) deferrals (Section 402(g)) $18,000 $18,500
Dollar limitation for catch-up contributions (Section 414(v)(2)(B)(i)) $6,000 $6,000
Limit on deferrals for government and tax-exempt organization deferred compensation plans (Section 457(e)(15)) $18,000 $18,500
Annual benefit limitation for a defined benefit plan (Section 415(b)(1)(A)) $215,000 $220,000
Limitation on annual contributions to a defined contribution plan (Section 415(c)(1)(A)) $54,000 $55,000
Limitation on compensation that may be considered by qualified retirement plans (Section 401(a)(17)) $270,000 $275,000
Dollar amount for the definition of highly compensated employee (Section 414(q)(1)(B)) $120,000 $120,000
Dollar amount for the definition of a key employee in a top-heavy plan (Section 416(i)(1)(A)(i)) $175,000 $175,000
Dollar amount for determining the maximum account balance in an ESOP subject to a five-year distribution period (Section 409(o)(1)(C)(ii)) $1,080,000 $1,105,000
SIMPLE retirement account limitation (Section 408(p)(2)(E)) $12,500 $12,500
Social Security Taxable Wage Base $127,200 $128,700

Health and Welfare Plan Dollar Limits

  2017 2018
Annual Cost Sharing Limit (self-only coverage) $7,150 $7,350
Annual Cost Sharing Limit (other than self-only coverage) $14,300 $14,700
HDHP Out-of-Pocket Maximum (self-only coverage) $6,550 $6,650
HDHP Out-of-Pocket Maximum (family coverage) $13,100 $13,300
Annual HDHP Deductible (self-only coverage) Not less than $1,300 Not less than $1,350
Annual HDHP Deductible (family coverage) Not less than $2,600 Not less than $2,700
Maximum Annual HSA Contributions (self-only coverage) $3,400 $3,450
Maximum Annual HSA Contributions (family coverage) $6,750 $6,900*
Maximum HSA Catch-Up Contribution $1,000 $1,000
Health Flexible Spending Account Maximum $2,600 $2,650

* The maximum annual HSA contribution for family coverage was reduced from $6,900 to $6,850 by Revenue Procedure 2018-18.  However, the IRS reinstated the $6,900 limit in Revenue Procedure 2018-27.  For more information about Revenue Procedure 2018-27, please see our blog dated May 2, 2018.

Media Contact

Olivia Nguyen-Quang

Associate Director of Communications
media@swlaw.com 714.427.7490