Today, the Internal Revenue Service announced cost-of-living adjustments affecting certain dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related limitations for 2017, as detailed in Notice 2016-62.
The following chart details the 2017 retirement plan dollar limitation cost-of living adjustments:
| Limitation Description | 2016 | 2017 |
| Maximum annual benefit under a defined benefit plan under IRC Section 415(b)(1)(A) | $210,000 | $215,000 |
| Maximum annual contribution to an individual’s defined contribution plan account under IRC Section 415(c) | $53,000 | $54,000 |
| Maximum amount of annual compensation that may be taken into account for determining benefits or contributions to retirement plans under IRC Sections 401(a)(17), 404(l), 408(k)(3)(C), and 408(k)(6)(D)(ii) | $265,000 | $270,000 |
| Wage Base For Social Security Tax | $118,000 | $127,200 |
| Amount of compensation to be a “key” employee | $170,000 | $175,000 |
| Dollar amount for determining maximum account balance in an employee stock ownership plan subject to a 5-year distribution period under IRC Section 409(o)(1)(C)(ii) | $1,070,000 | $1,080,000 |
| Dollar amount used for determining the lengthening of the 5-year distribution period in an employee stock ownership plan under IRC Section 409(o)(1)(C)(ii) | $210,000 | $215,000 |
Notably, the following limits remain unadjusted for 2017:
- The contribution limit for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan remains $18,000.
- The catch-up contribution limit for employees who are age 50 and over who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan remains unchanged at $6,000.
- The limit on annual contributions to an IRA remains unadjusted at $5,500 and the additional catch-up contribution limit for individuals age 50 and over remains $1,000.
- The limitation used in the definition of “highly compensated employee” under IRC Section 414(q)(1)(B) remains unchanged at $120,000.
- The minimum compensation amount under IRC Section 408(k)(2)(C) for simplified employee pensions (SEPs) remains $600.
- The limitation under IRC Section 408(p)(2)(E) for salary deferral contributions to SIMPLE retirement accounts remains unadjusted at $12,500.
- The limitation under Section 664(g)(7) concerning the qualified gratuitous transfer of qualified employer securities to an employee stock ownership plan remains $45,000.
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