Rev. Rul. 2026-1

This revenue ruling provides tables of covered compensation under section 401(l)(5)(E) of the Internal Revenue Code for the 2026 plan year.

Section 401(l)(5)(E)(i) defines covered compensation with respect to an employee as the average of the contribution and benefit bases in effect under section 230 of the Social Security Act (“Act”) for each year in the 35‑year period ending with the year in which the employee attains Social Security retirement age.

Section 401(l)(5)(E)(ii) of the Code states that the determination for any year preceding the year in which the employee

attains Social Security retirement age shall be made by assuming that there is no increase in covered compensation after the determination year and before the employee attains Social Security retirement age.

Section 1.401(l)-1(c)(34) of the Treasury Regulations (“Regulations”) defines the taxable wage base as the contribution and benefit base under section 230 of the Act.

Section 1.401(l)-1(c)(7)(i) of the Regulations defines covered compensation for an employee as the average (without indexing) of the taxable wage bases in effect for each calendar year during the 35-year period ending with the last day of the calendar year in which the employee attains (or will attain) Social Security retirement age. A 35‑year period is used for all individuals regardless of the year of birth of the individual. In determining an employee’s covered compensation for a plan year, the taxable wage base for all calendar years beginning after the first day of the plan year is assumed to be the

same as the taxable wage base in effect as of the beginning of the plan year. An employee’s covered compensation for a plan year beginning after the 35-year period applicable under § 1.401(l)‑1(c) (7)(i) is the employee’s covered compensation for a plan year during which the 35-year period ends. An employee’s covered compensation for a plan year beginning before the 35-year period applicable under § 1.401(l)‑1(c)(7)(i) is the taxable wage base in effect as of the beginning of the plan year.

Section 1.401(l)-1(c)(7)(ii) provides that, for purposes of determining the amount of an employee’s covered compensation under § 1.401(l)-1(c)(7)(i), a plan may use tables, provided by the Commissioner, that are developed by rounding the actual amounts of covered compensation for different years of birth.

For purposes of determining covered compensation for the 2026 year, the taxable wage base is $184,500.

The following tables provide covered compensation for 2026.

ATTACHMENT I

2026 UNROUNDED COVERED COMPENSATION TABLE

CALENDAR

CALENDAR YEAR OF

SOCIAL SECURITY

RETIREMENT AGE

2026 COVERED COMPENSATION

YEAR OF

BIRTH

BIRTH RETIREMENT AGE UNROUNDED

1907 1972 $ 4,488 1908 1973 4,704 1909 1974 5,004 1910 1975 5,316 1911 1976 5,664 1912 1977 6,060 1913 1978 6,480 1914 1979 7,044 1915 1980 7,692 1916 1981 8,460 1917 1982 9,300 1918 1983 10,236 1919 1984 11,232 1920 1985 12,276

Bulletin No. 2026–2 299 January 5, 2026

CALENDAR

CALENDAR YEAR OF

SOCIAL SECURITY

RETIREMENT AGE

2026 COVERED COMPENSATION

YEAR OF

BIRTH

BIRTH RETIREMENT AGE UNROUNDED

1921 1986 13,368 1922 1987 14,520 1923 1988 15,708 1924 1989 16,968 1925 1990 18,312 1926 1991 19,728 1927 1992 21,192 1928 1993 22,716 1929 1994 24,312 1930 1995 25,920 1931 1996 27,576 1932 1997 29,304 1933 1998 31,128 1934 1999 33,060 1935 2000 35,100 1936 2001 37,212 1937 2002 39,444 1938 2004 43,992 1939 2005 46,344 1940 2006 48,816 1941 2007 51,348 1942 2008 53,952 1943 2009 56,628 1944 2010 59,268 1945 2011 61,884 1946 2012 64,560 1947 2013 67,308 1948 2014 69,996 1949 2015 72,636 1950 2016 75,180 1951 2017 77,880 1952 2018 80,532 1953 2019 83,244 1954 2020 86,052 1955 2022 91,884 1956 2023 95,172 1957 2024 98,616 1958 2025 102,180 1959 2026 105,924 1960 2027 109,620 1961 2028 113,244 1962 2029 116,784 1963 2030 120,300

January 5, 2026 300 Bulletin No. 2026–2

CALENDAR

CALENDAR YEAR OF

SOCIAL SECURITY

RETIREMENT AGE

2026 COVERED COMPENSATION

YEAR OF

BIRTH RETIREMENT AGE UNROUNDED

1964 2031 123,780 1965 2032 127,188 1966 2033 130,500 1967 2034 133,704 1968 2035 136,800 1969 2036 139,764 1970 2037 142,620 1971 2038 145,404 1972 2039 148,164 1973 2040 150,864 1974 2041 153,444 1975 2042 155,928 1976 2043 158,280 1977 2044 160,500 1978 2045 162,720 1979 2046 164,940 1980 2047 167,064 1981 2048 169,092 1982 2049 171,024 1983 2050 172,908 1984 2051 174,792 1985 2052 176,424 1986 2053 178,032 1987 2054 179,508 1988 2055 180,840 1989 2056 182,040 1990 2057 183,108 1991 2058 183,804 1992 2059 184,260 1993 and later 2060 and later 184,500

BIRTH

Bulletin No. 2026–2 301 January 5, 2026

ATTACHMENT II

2026 ROUNDED COVERED COMPENSATION TABLE

CALENDAR

2026 COVERED COMPENSATION

YEAR OF

BIRTH ROUNDED

1937 $ 39,000 1938 – 1939 45,000 1940 48,000 1941 51,000 1942 54,000 1943 57,000 1944 60,000 1945 63,000 1946 – 1947 66,000

BIRTH

1948 69,000 1949 72,000 1950 75,000 1951 78,000 1952 81,000 1953 84,000 1954 87,000 1955 93,000 1956 96,000 1957 99,000 1958 102,000 1959 105,000 1960 111,000 1961 114,000 1962 117,000 1963 120,000 1964 123,000 1965 126,000 1966 132,000 1967 135,000 1968 138,000 1969 141,000 1970 – 1971 144,000 1972 147,000 1973 150,000 1974 153,000 1975 156,000 1976 159,000 1977 – 1978 162,000 1979 165,000

January 5, 2026 302 Bulletin No. 2026–2

CALENDAR

2026 COVERED COMPENSATION

YEAR OF

BIRTH ROUNDED

1980 – 1981 168,000 1982 171,000 1983 – 1984 174,000 1985 – 1986 177,000 1987 – 1988 180,000 1989 – 1990 183,000 1991 and later 184,500

BIRTH

DRAFTING INFORMATION

The principal author of this revenue ruling is Tom Morgan of the Office of

Associate Chief Counsel (Employee Benefits, Exempt Organizations, and Employment Taxes). However, other personnel from the Internal Revenue Service partici

pated in the development of this guidance. For further information regarding this revenue ruling, contact Mr. Morgan at (202) 317-6700 (not a toll-free number).

Bulletin No. 2026–2 303 January 5, 2026