2026 Tax Changes: How the New Rules Can Give Your Retirement Savings a Raise

The tax code changes every year, and 2026 brought a round of updates that quietly hand a lot of savers a raise. Mark Rowlette and Damon La Tanzi of South Shore Retirement Services walk through what changed and how to actually use it, starting with a simple idea: you don't need one thirty-year retirement plan, you need thirty one-year plans that flex as the rules move.  This year brought higher contribution limits on 401(k)s, 403(b)s, thrift savings plans, and IRAs, along with the catch-up contributions that open up once you turn 50. Mark and Damon flag a trap they see often: people who set their contribution as a flat dollar amount years ago and never adjusted it, so they believe they're maxing out when they quietly stopped. If you're in your top earning years heading into retirement, knowing the new limits can meaningfully boost your savings.  They also get into the potential tax advantage of contributing while you're in a higher working bracket and drawing the money out later in a lower one, and why staying current beats a set-it-and-forget-it approach. The point of the show is that small moves you understand today can have a big impact down the road.  If you'd like to see how this year's changes affect your own plan, visit southshoreretirementservices.com or call the office at 781-725-5557.