How Much Tax-Advantaged Room Do You Have Left This Year?
Money you put in a regular brokerage account gets taxed on dividends and capital gains every year. Money you put in a 401(k), IRA, or HSA grows tax-deferred or even tax-free, but only up to a set annual limit — and those limits reset every January 1st. For 2025, the 401(k) employee elective deferral limit is $23,500, the IRA limit is $7,000, and the HSA limit is $4,300 for self-only coverage ($8,550 for family coverage). Miss the deadline to use that year's room and it's gone for good — unlike a 529 plan, there's no rollover for unused annual contribution space.
This calculator takes what you've already contributed to each account this year and shows exactly how much room remains in each one, plus a smart priority order: capture your full employer 401(k) match first (it's free money), then fill your HSA since it offers a triple tax advantage, then your IRA, and finally circle back to max out the rest of your 401(k) if you still have money to put away.
| Account | 2025 Limit |
|---|---|
| 401(k) (employee deferral) | $23,500 |
| IRA (Traditional or Roth) | $7,000 |
| HSA (self-only) | $4,300 |
Frequently Asked Questions
$23,500 for employee elective deferrals, separate from any employer match.
401(k) up to the employer match, then HSA, then IRA, then any remaining 401(k) room.
$4,300 self-only or $8,550 family for 2025, plus a $1,000 catch-up if you're 55+.
※ Simplified estimate using 2025 IRS limits, which are indexed for inflation and may change. Catch-up contributions for age 50+ are not included.