<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=690758617926394&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Skip to content
Mega Menu_newspaper_438174_24px Payroll Country Blog

Your constant source for helpful, useful, and entertaining content about payroll, human resources or anything else that will help you manage your workforce.

Mega Menu_Video Series_clapper_438174 Video Series
PeopleWork

Conversations with experts in a wide range of HR/HCM topics, for the benefit of anyone whose job it is to manage a workforce or take care of people.

Ashley Explains

Our Implementation Manager Ashley Hamilton gives you the facts about tax, labor laws, and a whole lot more.

Unfiltered HR

Our very own Jen Strait and Emily Martin from Ally HR Partners tackle common HR issues and provide practical advice to help you manage your workforce more effectively!

Mega Menu_Demo Video Library_video-player_438174 Demo Video Library

Welcome to our comprehensive - yet growing - library of instructional how-to videos that focus on a variety of functions across our software platforms. Scroll down and filter by category or use the search bar to find exactly what you're looking for.

Mega Menu_Resource LIbrary_book_438174 Resource Library

A robust library of guides, kits and tools designed to educate and support anyone responsible for payroll, HR or managing a workforce of people.

Mega Menu_Employer Guides_user-guide_438174 Employer Guides

An extensive and ever-growing library of super handy employer guides on everything from human resource topics, important Labor Law updates, how to approach payroll for your company's industry, and much more.

Mega Menu_Software Downloads_download_438174 Software Downloads
Software Downloads

Quickly reference and download software platforms, installation guides, middleware and other critical files you may need as a client to properly process critical payroll and HR functions with Complete Payroll. 

Mega Menu_What Is Payroll Country_landscape_438174 What is Payroll Country?

In Payroll Country, people come first, manners aren't optional and a job isn't done until it is. Sure, we're headquartered in a small, rural town. But Payroll Country isn't just where we're from. It's our philosophy of how business should be conducted. Welcome!

Mega Menu_Careers_career_438174 Careers
Careers in Payroll Country

It's not about where we work, it's about how we work. And, more importantly, how we work together.

Mega Menu_Client Referral Program_teamwork_438174 Client Referral Program

Earn payroll credit for bringing your colleagues and friends to Payroll Country!

Mega Menu_Client Testimonials_rating_438174 Client Testimonials

Check out what some of our most loyal clients have to say about their Payroll Country experience, or leave some kind words about your own. 

IRS Changes to Benefit Plan Limits for 2023

November 24, 2022

Written by Complete Payroll

irs changes retirement plan benefits trees

In October, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced changes to various retirement plan benefits and employment tax limits for 2023. Not all limitations set forth by the IRS will be changed, as they are not subject to annual adjustments. However, those that will change are all tied to a cost of living index adjustment. 

Retirement Plan Benefits

Changes in retirement plan limits start with changes to employee 401(k) contributions. These contributions will now be limited to $22,500 in 2023 from 2022’s $20,500 cap. In addition, all plan participants who are 50 years of age or older in 2023 can contribute an additional $7,500, $1,000 more than in 2022.

IRAs also have changes for 2023; the SIMPLE IRA plan raised its elective deferral limit by $1,500 to $15,500. The catch-up contribution limit has also increased by $500 and now tops off at $3,500. Regular IRAs have seen changes to their contribution limit going up to $6,500, with the catch-up contribution remaining the same at $1,000.

401(k) Plan Limits

Defined Contribution Plans 2023 2022 Change

Maximum employee elective deferral (age 49 or younger) 1

$22,500

$20,500

+$2,000

Employee catch-up contribution (age 50 or older by year-end) 2

$7,500

$6,500

+$1,000

Maximum employee elective deferral plus catch-up contribution (age 50 or older)

$30,000

$27,000

+$3,000

Defined contribution maximum limit, employee + employer (age 49 or younger) 3

$66,000

$61,000

+$5,000

Defined contribution maximum limit (age 50 or older), all sources + catch-up

$73,500

$67,500

+$6,000

Employee compensation limit for calculating contributions

$330,000

$305,000

+$25,000

Key employees' compensation threshold for top-heavy plan testing 4

$215,000

$200,000

+$15,000

 

Highly compensated employees’ threshold for nondiscrimination testing 5

$150,000

$135,000

+$15,000

1 The $22,500 elective deferral limit is also known as the 402(g) limit, after the relevant tax code section. Participants' annual contributions may not exceed 100% of their compensation.

2 The $7,500 catch-up contribution limit for participants age 50 or older applies from the start of the year for those turning 50 at any time during the year.

3 Total contributions from all sources may not exceed 100% of a participant's compensation.

4 Includes officers of the company sponsoring the plan.

5 For the 2023 plan year, an employee who earned more than $150,000 in 2022 is an HCE.

​Source: IRS Notice 2022-55.

High Deductible Plans, Health Savings Accounts, and FSAs

The rising inflation rate has also meant significant increases to contribution plans such as Health Savings Accounts. 

HSA contributions for self-only coverage are up $200 and top out at $3,850, while family coverage is changing from $7,300 to $7,750. This is roughly a 5.5% increase from 2022-2023, up from the 1.4% increase seen from 2021-2022. 

For High Deductible HealthPlans (HDHPs), minimum deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket numbers skyrocketed. Minimum deductibles now sit at $1,500 for self-only coverage (a change of $100) and $3,000 for family coverage ($200 more than in 2022). Out-of-pocket maximums have landed at $7,500 for self-only, a $450 increase from 2022, while family coverage is set at $15,000, up $900. 

Finally, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) saw a $200 increase in maximum salary deferral to top out at $3,050, while the maximum rollover amount is up just $40 to $610.

Dependent Care FSAs saw no change and stayed at 2022’s maximum salary deferral for single taxpayers and married couples filing jointly or separately. The maximum remains at $5,000 and $2,500, respectively. 

HSA and HDHP Limits

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and High-Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs)  2023 2022 Change

HSA contribution limit
(employer + employee)

Self-only: $3,850

Family: $7,750

Self-only: $3,650

Family: $7,300

Self-only: +$200

Family: +$450

HSA catch-up contributions
(age 55 or older)

$1,000

$1,000

no change
(not indexed)

HDHP minimum deductibles

Self-only: $1,500

Family: $3,000

Self-only: 1,400

Family: $2,800

Self-only: +100

Family: +200

HDHP maximum out-of-pocket amounts (deductibles, co-payments and other amounts, but not premiums)

Self-only: $7,500

Family: $15,000

Self-only: $7,050

Family: $14,100

Self-only: +450

Family: +$900

Source: IRS Revenue Procedure 2022-24.

Health FSA Limits

Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts (Health FSAs) and Limited-Scope (Vision/Dental) FSAs

2023

2022

Change

Maximum salary deferral

$3,050

$2,850

+$200

Maximum rollover amount

$610

$570

+$40

Source: IRS Revenue Procedure 2022-38.

Other Limit Changes

Other limit changes announced by the IRS include the following:

  • Qualified Self Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangements 
  • Maximum payments and reimbursements: Self-only: $5,850 (+$400) Family: $11,800 (+$750)
  • Qualified Transportation Limit
  • Transit passes and van pool services: $300 (+$20)
  • Qualified parking: $300 (+$20)
  • Adoption Benefits & Phase-out Income Thresholds
  • Excludable Amount: $15,950 (+$1,060)
  • Phase-out begins: $239,230 (+$15,820
  • Phase-out complete: $279,230 (+$15,820)
  • Social Security (FICA) Payroll Tax
  • Maximum earnings subject to 12.4% FICA payroll tax: $160,200 (+$13,200)

For up-to-date information like this, turn to Complete Payroll’s blog site. We have 100s of articles that can help you be on top of all issues concerning HR and payroll.

DISCLAIMER: The information provided herein does not constitute the provision of legal advice, tax advice, accounting services or professional consulting of any kind. The information provided herein should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional legal, tax, accounting, or other professional advisers. Before making any decision or taking any action, you should consult a professional adviser who has been provided with all pertinent facts relevant to your particular situation and for your particular state(s) of operation.

Get The Newsletter

Bi-weekly on Thursdays. We compile HR best practices, labor law updates & other content to help you pay and manage your workforce more effectively.

Complete Payroll Circle Logo
Ready to Make the Move to Payroll Country?

Get a Quote