3 Strategies to Boost Your Retirement Plan Contributions in 2026

You're probably aware that your retirement is not going to magically fund itself. Sure, if you work long enough, you'll probably qualify for Social Security. Those benefits might help cover your expenses once you're no longer earning a paycheck.

But if you think you'll be able to live comfortably on just Social Security, think again. If you earn an average salary, those benefits might take the place of about 40% of your pre-retirement wages.

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Most retirees need about 70% to 80% of their former wages to comfortably cover their bills. So it's important to have savings on top of Social Security once your career comes to an end.

If you've been lagging in that department, 2026 could be the year you catch up nicely. Here are some strategies to boost your retirement plan contributions in the new year.

1. Make sure to claim your full 401(k) match

If you have access to a 401(k) plan through your job, you may also be eligible for a workplace match. Find out exactly what that match entails, and what you need to do to keep it all. For example, your employer may require that you stay with the company for a certain amount of time to get that money.

Keep in mind that employer matching policies can change from one year to the next. It may be that in 2025, your employer matched contributions of up to 3% of worker salaries, but in 2026, that number is rising to 5%. A simple check-in with your benefits department should give you the answer you need.

If you're getting a raise in 2026 and want to make sure you're boosting your 401(k) savings rate, a good bet is to send that extra money into your retirement plan at the start of the year. If you get used to spending it, you may not have an easy time parting with it a few months in.

2. Sign up for your workplace HSA

When we talk about boosting retirement plan contributions, we often think of accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs. But there's another tool you can use as a retirement savings account -- an HSA, or health savings account.

You don't have to reserve the money in your HSA for retirement. But you could. It makes sense to do so, since HSAs let you invest your money tax-free to cover healthcare costs in the future.

Plus, just as many companies offer a 401(k) match, so too do a good number of employers make HSA contributions on workers' behalf. So if your company offers an HSA, there may be some free money involved.

HSA eligibility hinges on being enrolled in a high-deductible health insurance plan. Even if you didn't qualify for an HSA in the past, you may be able to contribute to one in 2026 if your health plan has changed.

3. Get serious about budgeting -- but make it easy

To stay on track with retirement savings, it's important to have a good sense of where your money is going. And if you're looking to save even more for retirement in 2026, you may need to get on board with the idea of budgeting. Cue the moans and groans.

Actually, budgeting doesn't have to be a painful experience. In fact, it's a pretty simple thing to do.

On a basic level, all you really need to do is open a spreadsheet on your laptop, list your expenses, compare your spending to your earnings, and make sure there's money left over each month for long-term savings. If that sounds too cumbersome, find a free budgeting app that does that number-crunching for you.

The more you're able to save for retirement in 2026, the more confident you might feel about your senior years. Use these strategies to boost your savings rate and set yourself up for future success.

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