457(b) vs 403(b) vs 401(k) Comparison Calculator 2026
Compare 457(b), 403(b), and 401(k) retirement plans side-by-side for 2026. Tool models contribution limits ($23,500 + $7,500 age 50 catch-up), employer matching, the unique 457(b) "double-dip" rule, withdrawal penalty differences, and 30-year balance projection.
| Feature | 401(k) | 403(b) | 457(b) |
| 2026 Contribution Limit | $23,500 | $23,500 | $23,500 |
| Age 50+ Catch-Up | $7,500 | $7,500 | $7,500 |
| Special Catch-Up Age 60-63 | $11,250 | $11,250 | $11,250 (govt only) |
| 15-Year Service Catch-Up | — | $3,000/yr (up to $15K) | — |
| 3-Year Pre-Retirement Catch-Up | — | — | 2× limit ($47K) |
| Eligible Employer | For-profit, gov | Public school, 501(c)(3) | State/local gov, some nonprofits |
| Penalty for Pre-59½ Withdrawal | 10% | 10% | NONE (govt 457(b)) |
| Employer Match Typical | 3-6% | 3-8% | Rare |
| Roth Option Available | Yes | Yes | Yes (since SECURE 2.0) |
| Rollover to IRA | Yes | Yes | Yes (govt 457(b)) |
| Your Annual Contributions | |||
| Employee Contribution | — | — | — |
| Employer Match | — | — | — |
| Total Annual | — | — | — |
The Three Pre-Tax Retirement Plans in 2026
401(k), 403(b), and 457(b) are the three major tax-advantaged retirement plans for working Americans, with each tied to a specific employer type. 401(k) plans are offered by for-profit businesses and some governmental units. 403(b) plans are exclusive to public schools, universities, hospitals, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits. 457(b) plans are offered by state and local governments and some nonprofit organizations. The 2026 employee contribution limit for all three is $23,500 (source: irs.gov/retirement-plans), with an age-50 catch-up of $7,500 and a new special age-60-63 catch-up of $11,250 added by SECURE 2.0.
The 457(b) plan has one feature that makes it strategically dominant for many public-sector workers: NO 10% early-withdrawal penalty for governmental 457(b) plans. You can access governmental 457(b) funds at any age once separated from service. Combined with the fact that 457(b) limits are SEPARATE from 401(k)/403(b) limits, this creates the famous "double-dip" strategy — public school teachers and university faculty can max both a 403(b) AND a 457(b) in the same year, contributing up to $47,000 in 2026 ($23,500 × 2).
The Double-Dip Rule — Massive Tax Advantage
If your employer offers both a 403(b) and a 457(b) — common for public school teachers, public university faculty, and government hospital employees — you can contribute the full $23,500 to EACH plan in 2026, for a combined $47,000 employee deferral. Add the age-50 catch-up of $7,500 to each and you get $62,000 total deferral capacity at age 50+. The IRS treats the two plans as separate limit buckets because they are governed by different IRC sections (Section 402(g) for 403(b) and 401(k), Section 457(e)(18) for 457(b)).
Combining a 401(k) with a 457(b) at the same employer (or different employers) also allows double-dipping. Combining 401(k) and 403(b) does NOT allow double-dipping — those two share a single limit because both fall under Section 402(g). Public-sector dual-eligible employees aged 50+ in 2026 can shelter $62,000 in pre-tax income, dropping a $100,000 salary into the 22% bracket or lower in a single year. Compare against our solo 401(k) calculator and mega backdoor Roth calculator for private-sector equivalents.
Key Withdrawal Rule Differences
The 10% early-withdrawal penalty applies to 401(k) and 403(b) plans at any withdrawal before age 59½ (with limited exceptions like Rule of 55, hardship distribution, and substantially equal periodic payments). The governmental 457(b) has NO 10% penalty — withdrawals after separation from service at any age are subject only to ordinary income tax, no excise tax. This makes 457(b) the de-facto bridge fund for early retirees in the public sector who plan to retire at age 55-58 and need to access retirement money before standard penalty-free age.
Non-governmental 457(b) plans (those offered by some 501(c)(3) nonprofits) DO have early withdrawal restrictions, plus a critical creditor-risk feature: assets in a non-governmental 457(b) remain assets of the employer until distributed, so they can be reached by the nonprofit's creditors in bankruptcy. Governmental 457(b) assets are held in a separate trust and are protected from employer creditors — making governmental 457(b) far safer.
Roth Options and SECURE 2.0 Changes
All three plans now offer designated Roth account options, allowing after-tax contributions that grow tax-free. SECURE 2.0 (signed December 2022) made Roth contributions available in 457(b) plans starting 2024 and removed the requirement that highly-compensated employees age 50+ make catch-up contributions in Roth form (the implementation date was delayed to 2026 per IRS guidance). For 2026 filings, age-50+ catch-up contributions must be Roth if the employee earned more than $145,000 in the prior year — a forced-Roth provision aimed at higher earners.
The age 60-63 special catch-up is new for 2026 and worth $11,250 instead of the standard $7,500 — applicable in 401(k), 403(b), and governmental 457(b). At age 64 the catch-up reverts to the standard $7,500. See our Roth vs traditional 401(k) calculator for the tax-bracket optimization. Last updated April 2026. Sources: irs.gov, SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022, IRC Sections 402(g), 414(v), 457(e)(18).