Annual Employee Benefit Plan Limits

The last of the employee benefits annual limits have now been released by the IRS. This summary includes recently released limits for Health FSAs, Dependent Care FSAs, Commute, and QSEHRA plans. Following is a recap comparing the 2023 numbers with the finalized 2024 numbers.

HDHP and HSA Limits

2023

2024

HDHP Minimum Deductible – Self Only

$1,500

$1,600

HDHP Minimum Deductible – Family

$3,000

$3,200

HDHP OOP Limit – Self Only

$7,500

$8,050

HDHP OOP Limit – Family

$15,000

$16,100

HSA Contribution Limit – Self Only

$3,850

$4,150

HSA Contribution Limit – Family

$7,750

$8,300

HSA Contribution Limit – Catchup (55+)

$1,000

$1,000


 

ACA Limits

2023

2024

Health Plan OOP Limit – Self Only

$9,100

$9,450

Health Plan OOP Limit - Family

$18,200

$18,900

ACA Affordability Threshold

9.12%

8.39%


 

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

2023

2024

Health FSA Election Maximum

$3,050

 $3,200

Health FSA Rollover Maximum

$610

 $640

Dependent Care Election Maximum (not indexed)

$5,000

$5,000


 

 

HRA Limits

2023

2024

QSEHRA – Self Only

$5,850

 $6,150

QSEHRA - Family

$11,800

 $12,450

EBHRA

$1,950

$2,100


 

 

Commute

2023

2024

Transit Pass Maximum (Monthly)

$300

 $315

Parking (Monthly)

$300

 $315

Bicycle (Monthly)

$20

$20


 

 

Retirement Plans

2023

2024

Elective Deferral Maximum

$22,500

 $23,000

Catch-up Maximum (50+)

$7,500

$7,500

Total Contribution Limit (<50)

$66,000

 $69,000

Total Contribution Limit (50+)

$73,500

 $76,500

401(a) Compensation Limit

$330,000

 $345,000


 

 

Compensation Thresholds

2023

2024

Highly Compensated Employee (HCE)

$150,000

 $155,000

Key Employee Officer Comp

$215,000

 $220,000


 

Other Limits

2023

2024

Educational Assistance (not indexed)

$5,250

$5,250

Adoption Assistance

$15,950

 $16,810

Social Security Wage Base

$160,200

$168,600

 

References

IRS Rev. Proc. 2023-23 (Covering HSA, HDHP, and EBHRA limits)

IRS Notice 2023-75 (Covering Retirement plan limits)

IRS Rev. Proc. 2023-xx (Covering FSAs, QSEHRAs, and Commute Plans)

 

Terms

HSA

The HSA is an individual Health Savings Account that is owned by the employee and may be used for the payment of medical expenses that are not covered by a qualified High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), including expenses that go toward satisfying the deductible. This maximum is inclusive of employer and employee contributions.
 

FSA

A Health or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) allows participating employees to reduce their earnings on a pre-tax basis to pay for certain qualified expenses. Salary reductions provide significant tax savings to both the employee and the employer.
 

FSA Rollover (Carryover)

Employers may offer employees the option of rolling over a portion of their remaining Health FSA balance each year to be used in the same type of plan during the following plan year. The final balance that is available for rollover will be determined after the current plan year’s claim submission deadline.
 

Transit

The Transit Plan allows employees to set money aside on a pre-tax basis for mass transit expenses. Employees get to use tax-free money for their commuting expenses when traveling to and from work.
 

Parking 

The Parking Plan allows employees to set money aside on a pre-tax basis for work-related parking expenses. Employees get to use tax-free money for parking at or near an office location or mass transit hub.
 

Educational Assistance

Funds received through Employer-sponsored tuition assistance plans and educational assistance programs (EAPs) allow employees to generally exclude such amounts from their income when the funds are used to finance employee education-related expenses.