ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled
| Filter | Status | Condition | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| HTTP status | PASS | download_http_code = 200 | HTTP 200 |
| Age cutoff | PASS | download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH | 0.2 months ago |
| History drop | PASS | isNull(history_drop_reason) | No drop reason |
| Spam/ban | PASS | fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0 | ml_spam_score=0 |
| Canonical | PASS | meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed | Not set |
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| URL | https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions |
| Last Crawled | 2026-04-02 12:02:06 (7 days ago) |
| First Indexed | 2025-11-14 23:24:17 (4 months ago) |
| HTTP Status Code | 200 |
| Meta Title | After-Tax 401(k) Contributions - NerdWallet |
| Meta Description | After-tax 401(k) contributions are deposits of after-tax dollars into 401(k) accounts. These contributions aren't tax-deductible by may be withdrawn tax-free. |
| Meta Canonical | null |
| Boilerpipe Text | If you’ve reached your
401(k) annual contribution limit
, you’re probably a super saver. The good news is, if you have additional dollars at your disposal, you may be able to add them to your 401(k) account using after-tax contributions.
What is an after-tax 401(k)?
An after-tax 401(k) contribution refers to after-tax dollars going toward a 401(k) account. Because you've already paid taxes on these funds, your taxable income isn't lowered for the year. A major appeal of the after-tax contribution is that you aren't limited to the annual 401(k) limit and that the contributions can be withdrawn tax-free, similar to a
Roth IRA
or a
Roth 401(k)
.
The catch is that not all 401(k) plans allow after-tax contributions.
How after-tax 401(k) contributions work
Say you have a traditional 401(k) plan at work, and you make contributions through payroll.
The contribution limit is
$24,500 in 2026. People aged 50 and older can contribute an extra $8,000 as a catch-up contribution. Due to the Secure 2.0 Act, those aged 60, 61, 62 and 63 get a higher catch-up contribution of $11,250.
Your employer might also match a percentage of your contribution.
If your contributions and your employer match don't add up to the combined annual limit of $70,000 in 2025, or your total limit with catch-up dollars factored in (either $77,500 or $81,250, depending on your age), you may be able to keep adding post-tax money to your 401(k) until you get to that amount
.
To illustrate after-tax contributions, here's an example: Rachel is 45 years old, earns $100,000 and has a 401(k) account at work. She contributes $23,500 in 2025, the maximum for that year. Her employer offers a 100% employee match, up to 6% of her annual salary, which comes up to $6,000. This means Rachel now has $29,500 in her 401(k). Because the overall annual 401(k) limit for her age is $70,000, and because her employer’s 401(k) plan allows for after-tax contributions, she can put an additional $40,500 in after-tax dollars into her 401(k).
Not every employer provides an after-tax 401(k) contribution option, so check to see if it’s something you have access to.
Strategies for after-tax 401(k) contributions
You can increase your 401(k) savings by adding after-tax contributions, but there is a caveat: While contributions can come out in retirement tax-free, any earnings you make on those contributions are taxable
. To minimize your taxes, you might consider rolling your after-tax contributions into a Roth IRA and the earnings into a traditional IRA (more on this below).
Put contributions into a Roth
You may be able to put your after-tax contributions into a designated Roth account to ensure tax-free withdrawals during retirement. That is, as long as you wait until age 59 ½ to withdraw, and you make your first contribution at least five years before then.
There are two ways you can roll after-tax contribution dollars into a Roth account:
In-plan conversion
: If your job offers an in-plan conversion, you can convert all or some of your 401(k) into a Roth account within your plan. You have to pay taxes on any earnings, and any amount you haven't paid taxes on before. But, like with a Roth IRA, your withdrawals in the future would be tax-free. Some plans have an auto-convert feature that automatically converts your after-tax contributions into a designated Roth.
In-service withdrawal
: If your employer offers in-service distributions or withdrawals, you can do a
mega backdoor Roth
. This is when you roll after-tax contributions into a Roth IRA outside of your retirement plan.
If your employer doesn’t offer in-plan conversions or in-service distributions on your 401(k) plan, you might consider asking what your options are for withdrawing money and putting it into an IRA. Make sure to ask about the rules associated with withdrawing money from your 401(k) and any potential penalties.
Split between a traditional and Roth IRA to defer taxes
If you want to defer paying taxes on your after-tax contribution earnings, you can put the after-tax dollars into a Roth IRA because you’ve already paid taxes on it, and put your earnings into a traditional IRA. If you choose to split your contributions this way, you pay taxes on the earnings whenever you withdraw the money from your traditional IRA.
Let's say you made a $30,000 after-tax contribution to your 401(k). At the end of the year, when you check your account, you realize you made $1,000 in earnings. You could either roll the total sum, ​​$31,000, into a Roth IRA and pay taxes on the $1,000 you earned, or you could put $30,000 in a Roth IRA and $1,000 into a traditional IRA. If you choose the latter, you don’t have to pay taxes until you withdraw from your traditional IRA during retirement.
AD
How does your
net worth stack up?
See where you stand compared to households like yours, and get steps you could take to grow from here.
Run the numbers
NWWP is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply skill or training. Calculator by NerdWallet, Inc., an affiliate, for informational purposes only.
Benefits of after-tax contributions
Vanguard’s report states that 10% of those surveyed who had access to after-tax 401(k) contributions made them, and they tended to have higher incomes
. P
If you are a high earner, another reason to consider after-tax 401(k) contributions is that, unlike the Roth IRA, there are no income restrictions on making after-tax 401(k) contributions.
You can also withdraw your after-tax contributions without penalty or taxes
. Your earnings on those contributions grow tax-deferred, but if you take those out, you do have to pay taxes. If you’re younger than 59 ½, you may also have to pay a 10% penalty when you withdraw.
Are after-tax 401(k) contributions right for me?
If you’re a high earner
and have maxed out your pre-tax 401(k) contributions, putting after-tax dollars into a 401(k) might be a good option for you to boost your retirement savings.
If you want investments to grow tax-deferred
for retirement and would rather not open a brokerage account, this could fit your needs. Why might 401(k) after-tax contributions be better? “It tends to be a little more tax-efficient to save within the after-tax 401(k) because you’re getting the tax-free compounding and then the tax-free withdrawals in retirement, whereas if you have a taxable brokerage account, at a minimum, you’re paying some capital gains taxes when you sell appreciated securities,” says Benz.
If you decide not to do a rollover
because your employer doesn’t offer in-plan conversions or in-service distributions, think carefully about whether after-tax contributions are right for you. If you leave your after-tax contributions to grow tax-deferred in your 401(k), you’ll have to pay taxes on any earnings once you withdraw them. |
| Markdown | [Skip to content](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#main)[](https://www.nerdwallet.com/)
Credit cards

Credit cards[Explore more credit card resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards)
Best credit cards
[Best credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/best)[Best credit card bonus offers](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/best/bonus-offers)[Best balance transfer credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/best/balance-transfer)[Best travel credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/best/travel)[Best cash back credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/best/cash-back)[Best 0% APR credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/best/zero-percent)[Best rewards credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/best/rewards)[Best airline credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/best/airline)[Best college student credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/best/college-student)[Best credit cards for groceries](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/best/groceries)
[Compare credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/compare)
Get a card recommendation
[Travel rewards and perks](https://www.nerdwallet.com/recommend/CreditScore?primaryGoal=travel)[Earn cash back](https://www.nerdwallet.com/recommend/CreditScore?primaryGoal=cashback)[Pay down debt](https://www.nerdwallet.com/recommend/CreditScore?primaryGoal=debt)[Make a big purchase](https://www.nerdwallet.com/recommend/CreditScore?primaryGoal=bigpurchase)[Get your approval odds](https://www.nerdwallet.com/m/credit-cards/analyze/get-started)[Card recommendation quiz](https://www.nerdwallet.com/prequalify/credit-cards/apply/credit-card-purpose)
[Credit card reviews](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/reviews)
Credit card calculators
[Balance transfer savings calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/learn/balance-transfer-calculator)[Credit card interest calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/learn/credit-card-interest-calculator)
Guides and resources
[Get your free credit score](https://www.nerdwallet.com/p/free-credit-score)[Credit card basics](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/hubs/credit-card-basics)[Applying for a credit card](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/hubs/applying-for-a-credit-card)[Choosing a credit card](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/hubs/choosing-a-credit-card)[Managing credit card debt](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/hubs/managing-credit-card-debt)[Credit card resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/hubs/credit-card-resources)
[Explore more credit card resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards)
Banking

Banking[Explore more banking resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking)
Savings accounts
[Best high-yield savings accounts](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/high-yield-online-savings-accounts)[Best savings accounts](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/savings-accounts)[Savings account alternatives](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/hubs/savings-alternatives)[Savings calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/calculators/savings-calculator)[Explore more savings accounts](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/hubs/savings-accounts)
CDs
[Best CD rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/cd-rates)[Best 3-month CD rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/3-month-cd-rates)[Best 6-month CD rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/6-month-cd-rates)[Best 1-year CD rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/1-year-cd-rates)[Best 3-year CD rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/3-year-cd-rates)[Best 5-year CD rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/5-year-cd-rates)[CD calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/calculators/cd-calculator)[Explore more CDs](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/hubs/certificates-of-deposit)
Checking accounts
[Best checking accounts](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/checking-accounts)[Best free checking accounts](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/free-checking-accounts)[Best online checking accounts](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/online-checking-accounts)[Checking account alternatives](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/learn/big-bank-alternatives)[Explore more checking accounts](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/hubs/checking-accounts)
NerdWallet's banking picks
[Best bank bonuses and promotions](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/bank-bonuses-and-promotions)[Best online banks](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/online-banks)[Best money market accounts](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/money-market-accounts)[Best credit unions](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/credit-unions)
[Bank reviews](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/reviews)
Banking calculators
[Compound interest calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/calculators/compound-interest-calculator)[Emergency fund calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/learn/emergency-fund-calculator)
[Explore more banking resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking)
Home

Home[Explore more home resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages)
Mortgage rates
[Today's mortgage rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/mortgage-rates)[30 year mortgage rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/mortgage-rates/30-year-fixed)[5-year ARM rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/mortgage-rates/5-1-arm)[FHA mortgage rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/mortgage-rates/fha)[VA mortgage rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/mortgage-rates/va)[Best mortgage lenders](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/best/mortgage-lenders)
Best mortgage lenders
[Best mortgage lenders](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/best/mortgage-lenders)[Best lenders for FHA loans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/best/lenders-for-fha-loans)[Best lenders for low- and no-down-payment](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/best/no-and-low-down-payment-lenders)[Best VA mortgage lenders](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/best/va-mortgage-lenders)
Refinance and HELOC
[Today's refinance rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/refinance-rates)[Best refinance lenders](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/best/refinance-lenders)[30-year fixed refinance rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/refinance-rates)[15-year fixed refinance rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/mortgage-rates/15-year-fixed)[Best cash-out refinance lenders](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/best/cash-out-refinance-lenders)[Best HELOC Lenders](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/best/heloc-lenders)
Buying a home
[Compare top mortgage lenders](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/top-mortgage-lenders)[First-time homebuyers guide](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/hubs/first-time-homebuyers)[How much can I borrow mortgage calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/calculators/how-much-can-i-borrow)[Mortgage lender reviews](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/reviews)
Homeownership
[Home improvement](https://www.nerdwallet.com/home-ownership)[Home value](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/learn/how-to-determine-home-value)[Home insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/homeowners)[Explore more homeownership resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/home-ownership)
Home calculators
[Mortgage calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/calculators/mortgage-calculator)[Down payment calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/learn/how-much-down-payment-for-house)[How much house can I afford calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/calculators/how-much-house-can-i-afford)[Closing costs calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/calculators/closing-costs)[Cost of living calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/cost-of-living-calculator)[Mortgage amortization calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/calculators/amortization)[Refinance calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/calculators/refinance-calculator)[Rent vs buy calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/calculators/rent-vs-buy-calculator)
[First-time homebuyer's guide](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/hubs/first-time-homebuyers)
[Today's mortgage news](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/news)
[Explore more home resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages)
Loans

Loans
Personal loans
[Pre-qualify for a personal loan](https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans/pre-qualify)[Compare top lenders](https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans)[Personal loan reviews](https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans/reviews)[Personal loan calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans/calculators/loan-payment)[How to qualify](https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans/learn/what-are-the-requirements-for-a-personal-loan)[How to consolidate credit card debt](https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans/learn/how-to-consolidate-credit-card-debt)[Average personal loan interest rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans/learn/average-personal-loan-rates)[Explore more personal loan resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans/learn)
NerdWallet's Picks[Best personal loans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans)[Best debt consolidation loans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans/best/debt-consolidation-loans)[Best loans for bad credit](https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans/best/bad-credit-loans)[Best home improvement loans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans/best/home-improvement-loans)
Student loans
[Paying for college](https://www.nerdwallet.com/student-loans/hubs/paying-for-college)[FAFSA and federal student aid](https://www.nerdwallet.com/student-loans/hubs/fafsa-and-federal-student-aid)[Taking out student loans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/student-loans/learn/how-to-get-student-loan)[Paying off student loans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/student-loans/learn/pay-off-student-loans-fast)[Student loan refinance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/student-loans/refinancing)[Student loan interest rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/student-loans/learn/student-loan-interest-rates)[Student loan calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/student-loans/learn/student-loan-calculator)[Explore more student loan resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/student-loans)
NerdWallet's Picks[Best private student loans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/student-loans/best/private-student-loans)[Best graduate school loans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/student-loans/best/graduate-school-loans)[Best student refinance lenders](https://www.nerdwallet.com/student-loans/best/student-loan-refinance-companies)[Best parent loans for college](https://www.nerdwallet.com/student-loans/best/parent-loans-college)
Auto loans
[Best auto loans for good and bad credit](https://www.nerdwallet.com/auto-loans/best/auto-loans-for-good-fair-and-bad-credit)[Best auto loans refinance loans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/auto-loans/best/refinance-car-loan)[Best lease buyout loans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/auto-loans/best/lease-buyout-loans)[Explore more auto loan resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/auto-loans)
Auto loan calculators[Auto loan calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/auto-loans/calculators/auto-loan-calculator)[Auto loans refinance calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/auto-loans/calculators/auto-loan-refinance-calculator)[Total car cost calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/auto-loans/learn/total-cost-owning-car)
Insurance

Insurance[Explore more insurance resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance)
Auto insurance
[Compare car insurance quotes](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/auto/car-insurance)[Best car insurance companies](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/auto/best-car-insurance-companies)[Cheapest car insurance companies](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/auto/cheapest-car-insurance)[Car insurance reviews](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/auto/hubs/car-insurance-reviews)[Auto insurance calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/auto/car-insurance-calculator)[Explore more auto insurance resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/auto)
Cheapest car insurance by state[California car insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/auto/cheap-car-insurance-california)[Texas car insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/auto/cheap-car-insurance-texas)[New York car insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/auto/cheap-car-insurance-new-york)[Georgia car insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/auto/cheap-car-insurance-georgia)[Michigan car insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/auto/cheap-car-insurance-michigan)[Washington car insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/auto/cheap-car-insurance-washington)
Life insurance
[Compare life insurance quotes](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/life/life-insurance-quotes)[Best life insurance companies](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/life/best-life-insurance-companies)[Choosing a life insurance policy](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/life/life-insurance-policies)[Life insurance reviews](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/life/hubs/life-insurance-reviews)[Life insurance calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/life/learn/how-much-life-insurance-do-i-need)[Explore more life insurance resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/life)
NerdWallet's Picks[Best term life insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/life/best-term-life-insurance)[Best whole life insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/life/best-whole-life-insurance)[Best life insurance for seniors](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/life/best-senior-life-insurance)[Best burial insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/life/best-burial-insurance)[Best instant life insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/life/best-instant-life-insurance)
Home insurance
[Compare home insurance quotes](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/homeowners/home-insurance-quotes)[Best home insurance companies](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/homeowners/best-home-insurance-companies)[Home insurance reviews](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/homeowners/hubs/home-insurance-reviews)[Home insurance calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/homeowners/home-insurance-calculator)[Home insurance costs](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/homeowners/learn/average-homeowners-insurance-cost)[Explore more home insurance resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/homeowners)
Home insurance by state[Best home insurance in New York](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/homeowners/new-york-home-insurance)[Best home insurance in Arizona](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/homeowners/arizona-home-insurance)[Best home insurance in Massachusetts](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/homeowners/massachusetts-home-insurance)[Best home insurance in Virginia](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/homeowners/virginia-home-insurance)[Best home insurance in New Hampshire](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/homeowners/new-hampshire-home-insurance)
Pet insurance
[Best pet insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/pet/best-pet-insurance-companies)[Cheapest pet insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/pet/cheap-pet-insurance)[What pet insurance covers](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/pet/learn/pet-insurance-coverage)[Pet insurance costs](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/pet/learn/cost-of-pet-insurance)[Explore more pet insurance resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/pet)
Medicare
[How Medicare works](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/medicare/learn/what-is-medicare)[Medicare eligibility](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/medicare/learn/medicare-eligibility)[How to sign up for Medicare](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/medicare/learn/how-do-i-sign-up-for-medicare)[Medicare costs](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/medicare/learn/medicare-premiums-and-deductibles)[What's covered under Medicare](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/medicare/learn/what-is-medicare)[Explore more Medicare resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/medicare)
NerdWallet's Picks[Best Medicare Advantage plans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/medicare/best-medicare-advantage-plans)[Best Medigap companies](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/medicare/best-medigap-insurance-companies)[Best Medigap Plan G companies](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/medicare/best-medigap-plan-g-companies)[Best Medicare Part D plans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/medicare/best-medicare-part-d-plans)[Best Medicare dental plans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/medicare/best-medicare-dental-plans)
Renters insurance
[Best renters insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/renters/best-renters-insurance-companies)[Cheapest renters insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/renters/cheap-renters-insurance)[Explore more renters insurance resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance/renters)
[Explore more insurance resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/insurance)
Personal finance

Personal finance[Explore more resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance)
Tracking credit
[Get your free credit score](https://www.nerdwallet.com/p/free-credit-score)[Your credit report](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/how-to-use-annualcreditreport-com)[Understanding your credit score](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/hubs/the-ultimate-credit-score-guide)[Using your credit](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/how-is-credit-utilization-ratio-calculated)[Improving your credit](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/how-to-build-credit)[Protecting your credit](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/how-to-freeze-credit)
Managing money
[Saving money](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/how-to-save-money)[Handling bills and expenses](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/tracking-monthly-expenses)[Shopping](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/hubs/shopping)[Financial health](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/financial-health)[Savings goal calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/savings-goal-calculator)[Net worth calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/calculators/net-worth-calculator)[Explore more money management](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/hubs/money-management)
NerdWallet's budgeting basics[Budgeting](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/how-to-budget)[Free budget worksheet](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/budget-worksheet)[How to budget](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/how-to-budget)[The best budget apps](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/best-budget-apps)[Budget calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/nerdwallet-budget-calculator)[Cost of living calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/cost-of-living-calculator)
Making money
[Gig work](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/what-is-the-gig-economy)[Making money online](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/game-apps-pay-real-money)[Explore more money making resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/hubs/making-money)
Managing debt
[Paying debt](https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans/learn/pay-off-debt)[Dealing with debt collection](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/how-to-deal-with-debt-collectors)[Debt relief](https://www.nerdwallet.com/personal-loans/learn/find-debt-relief)[Explore more debt management resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/hubs/paying-off-debt)
Travel
[Best travel credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/best/travel)[Travel insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/travel/hubs/travel-insurance)[Explore more travel resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/travel)
[Explore more resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance)
Investing

Investing[Explore more investing resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing)
Best investment accounts
[Best brokerage accounts](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/best/online-brokers-for-stock-trading)[Best robo-advisors](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/best/robo-advisors)[Best trading platforms](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/best/online-brokers-platforms-for-day-trading)[Best online brokers for beginners](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/best/online-brokers-for-beginners)[Best Roth IRA accounts](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/best/roth-ira-accounts)[Best IRA accounts](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/best/ira-accounts)[Best investing apps](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/best/investment-apps)[Explore more investment accounts](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/reviews)
Investments
[Best investments right now](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/learn/the-best-investments-right-now)[Stocks](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/hubs/stocks)[Funds](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/learn/how-to-invest-in-mutual-funds)[Bonds](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/hubs/bonds)[Cryptocurrency](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/hubs/cryptocurrency)[Real estate and alternative investments](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/hubs/real-estate-alternative-investments)
Retirement
[Roth IRA basics](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/what-is-a-roth-ira)[IRA basics](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/learn-about-ira-accounts)[401(k)s](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/what-is-a-401k)[Self-employed retirement plans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/retirement-plans-self-employed)[Social Security](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/hubs/social-security)[Explore more retirement resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement)
Investing and retirement calculators
[Retirement calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/calculators/retirement-calculator)[401(k) calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/calculators/401k-calculator)[Roth IRA calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/calculators/roth-ira-calculator)[Investment return calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/calculators/investment-calculator)[Social Security benefits calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/calculators/social-security-calculator)[Inflation calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/calculators/inflation-calculator)
Financial advisors
[Best financial advisors](https://www.nerdwallet.com/financial-advisors/best)[How to choose a financial advisor](https://www.nerdwallet.com/financial-advisors/learn/how-to-choose-a-financial-advisor)[Financial advisor fees](https://www.nerdwallet.com/financial-advisors/learn/how-much-does-a-financial-advisor-cost)
[Explore more investing resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing)
Small business

Small business[Explore more small-business resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business)
Funding your business
[Small-business loans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/loans/best)[SBA loans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/loans/learn/sba-loans)[Business lines of credit](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/loans/best/business-line-of-credit)[Business grants](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/loans/learn/small-business-grants)[Startup business loans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/loans/learn/startup-business-loans)
Resources and Tools[Business loan rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/loans/learn/rates-fees)[SBA loan rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/loans/learn/sba-loan-rates)[Business loan calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/loans/calculators/business-loan)[SBA loan calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/loans/calculators/sba-loan)
Managing business finances
[Business bank accounts](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/banking/best/types)[Business credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/credit-cards/best)[Accounting software](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/software/best/accounting-software)[Business taxes](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/taxes)
Explore business credit cards[Best 0% APR business credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/credit-cards/best/zero-percent-apr)[Best cash-back business credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/credit-cards/best/cash-back)[Best travel business credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/credit-cards/best/travel)[Best startup business credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/credit-cards/best/startups)[Best LLC business credit cards](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/credit-cards/best/llc)[Best business credit cards for gas](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/credit-cards/best/gas)
Starting a business
[How to start a business](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/learn/how-to-start-a-business)[Business ideas](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/hubs/business-ideas)[Writing a business plan](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/learn/how-to-write-a-business-plan)[Entrepreneurship](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/hubs/entrepreneurship)
Running your business
[Payment processing companies](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/software/best/payment-processing-companies)[Business insurance](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/insurance/best)[Business legal](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/legal)
[Explore more small-business resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business)
Taxes

Taxes[Explore more tax resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes)
Tax brackets and rates
[Tax brackets](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/federal-income-tax-brackets)[Capital gains tax rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/capital-gains-tax-rates)[State tax rates](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/state-income-tax-rates)
Tax calculators
[Federal income tax calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/calculators/tax-calculator)[Capital gains tax calculator](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/calculators/capital-gains-tax-calculator)
Tax preparation and filing
[Tax withholding](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/how-to-fill-out-form-w4-guide)[Tax credits and deductions](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/tax-deductions-tax-breaks)[Choosing a filing status](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/how-to-choose-tax-filing-status)[Free tax filing](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/free-tax-filing-how-to-file-taxes-for-free)[Best tax software](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/reviews)
Solving tax issues
[Tax extensions](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/how-to-get-tax-extension-online)[Filing past-due returns](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/back-taxes-past-due-returns)[IRS payment plans](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/how-to-set-up-irs-payment-plan)[Tax debt relief and resolution](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/tax-relief-back-taxes)
[Explore more tax resources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes)


[Sign In](https://www.nerdwallet.com/api/nts/v1/login?initialScreen=signin&redirectTo=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nerdwallet.com%2Fretirement%2Flearn%2Fafter-tax-401k-contributions)[JoinSign Up](https://www.nerdwallet.com/api/nts/v1/login?initialScreen=signup&redirectTo=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nerdwallet.com%2Fretirement%2Flearn%2Fafter-tax-401k-contributions)


[My NerdWallet](https://www.nerdwallet.com/home/dashboard/home)
Welcome Back,


[Retirement](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement)
After-Tax 401(k) Contributions
Advertiser disclosure
### You're our first priority. Every time.
NerdWallet, Inc. is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. Its articles, interactive tools and other content are provided to you for free, as self-help tools and for informational purposes only. They are not intended to provide investment advice. NerdWallet does not and cannot guarantee the accuracy or applicability of any information in regard to your individual circumstances. Examples are hypothetical, and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific investment issues. Our estimates are based on past market performance, and past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. [Here is a list of our partners](https://www.nerdwallet.com/p/our-partners).
# After-Tax 401(k) Contributions
After-tax 401(k) contributions can be a smart way for high earners to grow their retirement investments.

Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of [our partners](https://www.nerdwallet.com/p/our-partners) and [here's how we make money](https://www.nerdwallet.com/p/advertiser-disclosure).
***
The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.
Updated
Nov 17, 2025
· 3 min read
Fact Checked
How is this page expert verified?
NerdWallet's content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure the information is as clear and complete as possible.
[More on our editorial rigor](https://www.nerdwallet.com/l/nerdwallet-editorial-guidelines)
[](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/elizabeth-ayoola)
Written by
Elizabeth Ayoola
[](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/elizabeth-ayoola)
[Elizabeth Ayoola](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/elizabeth-ayoola)
Writer
***
8 years of experience
Expertise
- Retirement
- credit
- wellness
Elizabeth Ayoola is a Lead Multimedia Producer and Co-Host of the "Smart Money" podcast. Before delving into the podcast world, Elizabeth acquired over ten years of experience as a writer, and seven were spent covering personal finance topics. Her journey to finance writing started with a goal to learn as much as she could about how to attain financial freedom and share information with others about how to do it, too. This led her to Debt.com, where she covered topics relating to mortgages, debt and credit. Her articles have appeared on platforms like Washington Post, The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Yahoo, Essence, The Knot, PopSugar and Parents.com. Elizabeth has also done extensive spokesperson work and appeared on multiple renowned national networks like Good Morning America, ABC, NBC, and Fox to discuss money.
Published in 
Writer
\+ more
[](https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviewer/raquel-tennant)
Reviewed by
Raquel Tennant
[](https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviewer/raquel-tennant)
[Raquel Tennant](https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviewer/raquel-tennant)
Certified Financial Planner®
***
Expertise
- financial planning
- wealth management
- high net worth
- underserved communities
- retirement planning
Raquel Tennant, CFP®, is a financial guide at Fruitful, a financial wellness platform providing members with unlimited financial advice and access to financial planning to the masses at a low cost. Tennant began her career in the fee-only RIA firm space, serving ultra high-net worth clients and is now proud to align her passion for helping younger, diverse and underserved clients, who often feel neglected by traditional firms. A graduate of Towson University, Tennant is one of the first 12 inaugural graduates of Towson's CFP Board Registered Financial Planning major and the first of her class to pass the CFP exam. She proudly collaborates with her alma mater as a writer and guest speaker to students, faculty and staff, bringing awareness to both the financial planning major and the RIA financial planning industry. She has been featured on 2050 TrailBlazer’s podcast episode “The Power of Partnership”, CFP Board’s "Stay on Your Path" video, and Towson’s College of Business & Economics “Finding the Right Fit” news feature. Tennant is also a CFP Board professional mentor.
***
At NerdWallet, our content goes through a rigorous [editorial review process.](https://www.nerdwallet.com/l/nerdwallet-editorial-guidelines) We have such confidence in our accurate and useful content that we let outside experts inspect our work.
Certified Financial Planner®
\+ more
[](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/pamela-de-la-fuente)
Edited by
Pamela de la Fuente
[](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/pamela-de-la-fuente)
[Pamela de la Fuente](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/pamela-de-la-fuente)
Managing Editor
***
23 years of experience
Expertise
- Personal Finance
- Budgeting
- Taxes
- Retirement
- Underrepresented communities
Pamela de la Fuente is a managing editor of NerdWallet's personal finance content. She leads budgeting, money-making, consumer credit and and debt coverage.
Ask her and her talented team about why credit scores matter, how to save money on your grocery bill, finding the right side hustle, how to protect your identity for free and more.
Previously, she led taxes and retirement coverage at NerdWallet.
Pamela joined NerdWallet after working at companies including Hallmark Cards, Sprint Corp. and The Kansas City Star. She has been a writer and editor for more than 20 years.
Pamela is a thought leader in content diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and finds ways to make every piece of content conversational and accessible to all.
She is a graduate of the Maynard Institute's Maynard 200 program, and the National Association of Black Journalists Executive Leadership Academy. She is a two-time winner of the Kansas City Association of Black Journalists' President's Award. She was also founding co-chair of NerdWallet's Nerds of Color employee resource group.
Managing Editor
\+ more
[](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/june-sham)
Co-written by
June Sham
[](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/june-sham)
[June Sham](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/june-sham)
Lead Writer
***
4 years of experience
Expertise
- Personal finance
- retirement
June Sham is a lead writer on NerdWallet’s investing and taxes team covering retirement and personal finance. She is a licensed insurance producer, and previously was an insurance writer for Bankrate specializing in home, auto and life insurance. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in creative writing at the University of California, Riverside.
Lead Writer
\+ more
SOME CARD INFO MAY BE OUTDATED
This page includes information about these cards, currently unavailable on NerdWallet. The information has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been provided or reviewed by the card issuer.
If you’ve reached your [401(k) annual contribution limit](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/401k-contribution-limits), you’re probably a super saver. The good news is, if you have additional dollars at your disposal, you may be able to add them to your 401(k) account using after-tax contributions.
## What is an after-tax 401(k)?
An after-tax 401(k) contribution refers to after-tax dollars going toward a 401(k) account. Because you've already paid taxes on these funds, your taxable income isn't lowered for the year. A major appeal of the after-tax contribution is that you aren't limited to the annual 401(k) limit and that the contributions can be withdrawn tax-free, similar to a [Roth IRA](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/what-is-a-roth-ira) or a [Roth 401(k)](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/roth-401k).
The catch is that not all 401(k) plans allow after-tax contributions.
## How after-tax 401(k) contributions work
Say you have a traditional 401(k) plan at work, and you make contributions through payroll.
The contribution limit is \$24,500 in 2026. People aged 50 and older can contribute an extra \$8,000 as a catch-up contribution. Due to the Secure 2.0 Act, those aged 60, 61, 62 and 63 get a higher catch-up contribution of \$11,250.
Your employer might also match a percentage of your contribution.
If your contributions and your employer match don't add up to the combined annual limit of \$70,000 in 2025, or your total limit with catch-up dollars factored in (either \$77,500 or \$81,250, depending on your age), you may be able to keep adding post-tax money to your 401(k) until you get to that amount
\[1\]
IRS. [Retirement Topics - 401(k) and Profit-Sharing Plan Contribution Limits.](https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-401k-and-profit-sharing-plan-contribution-limits) Accessed Nov 17, 2025.
[View all sources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#citation-list)
.
To illustrate after-tax contributions, here's an example: Rachel is 45 years old, earns \$100,000 and has a 401(k) account at work. She contributes \$23,500 in 2025, the maximum for that year. Her employer offers a 100% employee match, up to 6% of her annual salary, which comes up to \$6,000. This means Rachel now has \$29,500 in her 401(k). Because the overall annual 401(k) limit for her age is \$70,000, and because her employer’s 401(k) plan allows for after-tax contributions, she can put an additional \$40,500 in after-tax dollars into her 401(k).
Not every employer provides an after-tax 401(k) contribution option, so check to see if it’s something you have access to.
» MORE: [Calculate how long your retirement savings might last](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/how-long-will-your-retirement-savings-last)
## Strategies for after-tax 401(k) contributions
You can increase your 401(k) savings by adding after-tax contributions, but there is a caveat: While contributions can come out in retirement tax-free, any earnings you make on those contributions are taxable
\[2\]
Internal Revenue Service. [Rollovers of After-Tax Contributions in Retirement Plans.](https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/rollovers-of-after-tax-contributions-in-retirement-plans) Accessed Nov 17, 2025.
[View all sources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#citation-list)
. To minimize your taxes, you might consider rolling your after-tax contributions into a Roth IRA and the earnings into a traditional IRA (more on this below).
### Put contributions into a Roth
You may be able to put your after-tax contributions into a designated Roth account to ensure tax-free withdrawals during retirement. That is, as long as you wait until age 59 ½ to withdraw, and you make your first contribution at least five years before then.
There are two ways you can roll after-tax contribution dollars into a Roth account:
- In-plan conversion: If your job offers an in-plan conversion, you can convert all or some of your 401(k) into a Roth account within your plan. You have to pay taxes on any earnings, and any amount you haven't paid taxes on before. But, like with a Roth IRA, your withdrawals in the future would be tax-free. Some plans have an auto-convert feature that automatically converts your after-tax contributions into a designated Roth.
- In-service withdrawal: If your employer offers in-service distributions or withdrawals, you can do a [mega backdoor Roth](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/mega-backdoor-roths-work). This is when you roll after-tax contributions into a Roth IRA outside of your retirement plan.
If your employer doesn’t offer in-plan conversions or in-service distributions on your 401(k) plan, you might consider asking what your options are for withdrawing money and putting it into an IRA. Make sure to ask about the rules associated with withdrawing money from your 401(k) and any potential penalties.
» Learn more: [Taxes on 401(k) withdrawals and contributions](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/401k-taxes)
### Split between a traditional and Roth IRA to defer taxes
If you want to defer paying taxes on your after-tax contribution earnings, you can put the after-tax dollars into a Roth IRA because you’ve already paid taxes on it, and put your earnings into a traditional IRA. If you choose to split your contributions this way, you pay taxes on the earnings whenever you withdraw the money from your traditional IRA.
Let's say you made a \$30,000 after-tax contribution to your 401(k). At the end of the year, when you check your account, you realize you made \$1,000 in earnings. You could either roll the total sum, ​​\$31,000, into a Roth IRA and pay taxes on the \$1,000 you earned, or you could put \$30,000 in a Roth IRA and \$1,000 into a traditional IRA. If you choose the latter, you don’t have to pay taxes until you withdraw from your traditional IRA during retirement.
» MORE: [This quiz can help you see if it's time to get a financial advisor](https://www.nerdwallet.com/financial-advisors/learn/do-i-need-financial-advisor)
AD
How does your
net worth stack up?
See where you stand compared to households like yours, and get steps you could take to grow from here.

[Run the numbers](https://nerdwalletwealthpartners.com/lp/networthcalculator?utm_medium=nw_wealth_partners_cta&utm_source=nerdwallet&utm_campaign=nwwp_mtkg__networthad_internal_032526&utm_term=%2Fretirement%2Flearn%2Fafter-tax-401k-contributions)
NWWP is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply skill or training. Calculator by NerdWallet, Inc., an affiliate, for informational purposes only.
## Benefits of after-tax contributions
Vanguard’s report states that 10% of those surveyed who had access to after-tax 401(k) contributions made them, and they tended to have higher incomes
\[3\]
Vanguard. [How America Saves 2025.](https://institutional.vanguard.com/content/dam/inst/iig-transformation/insights/pdf/2024/has/how_america_saves_report_2024.pdf) Accessed Apr 9, 2025.
[View all sources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#citation-list)
. P
If you are a high earner, another reason to consider after-tax 401(k) contributions is that, unlike the Roth IRA, there are no income restrictions on making after-tax 401(k) contributions.
You can also withdraw your after-tax contributions without penalty or taxes
\[4\]
IRS.gov. [Roth account in your retirement plan.](https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/roth-acct-in-your-retirement-plan) Accessed Nov 17, 2025.
[View all sources](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#citation-list)
. Your earnings on those contributions grow tax-deferred, but if you take those out, you do have to pay taxes. If you’re younger than 59 ½, you may also have to pay a 10% penalty when you withdraw.
» MORE: [How capital gains tax works and how to save](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/capital-gains-tax-rates)
## Are after-tax 401(k) contributions right for me?
- If you’re a high earner and have maxed out your pre-tax 401(k) contributions, putting after-tax dollars into a 401(k) might be a good option for you to boost your retirement savings.
- If you want investments to grow tax-deferred for retirement and would rather not open a brokerage account, this could fit your needs. Why might 401(k) after-tax contributions be better? “It tends to be a little more tax-efficient to save within the after-tax 401(k) because you’re getting the tax-free compounding and then the tax-free withdrawals in retirement, whereas if you have a taxable brokerage account, at a minimum, you’re paying some capital gains taxes when you sell appreciated securities,” says Benz.
- If you decide not to do a rollover because your employer doesn’t offer in-plan conversions or in-service distributions, think carefully about whether after-tax contributions are right for you. If you leave your after-tax contributions to grow tax-deferred in your 401(k), you’ll have to pay taxes on any earnings once you withdraw them.
» MORE: [How to find a financial advisor](https://www.nerdwallet.com/financial-advisors/learn/how-to-choose-a-financial-advisor)
Article sources Article sources
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our [editorial guidelines.](https://www.nerdwallet.com/l/nerdwallet-editorial-guidelines)
- [1\.](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#citation-121803617) IRS. [Retirement Topics - 401(k) and Profit-Sharing Plan Contribution Limits.](https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-401k-and-profit-sharing-plan-contribution-limits) Accessed Nov 17, 2025.
- [2\.](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#citation-774987541) Internal Revenue Service. [Rollovers of After-Tax Contributions in Retirement Plans.](https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/rollovers-of-after-tax-contributions-in-retirement-plans) Accessed Nov 17, 2025.
- [3\.](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#citation-2050153902) Vanguard. [How America Saves 2025.](https://institutional.vanguard.com/content/dam/inst/iig-transformation/insights/pdf/2024/has/how_america_saves_report_2024.pdf) Accessed Apr 9, 2025.
- [4\.](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#citation-3379543889) IRS.gov. [Roth account in your retirement plan.](https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/roth-acct-in-your-retirement-plan) Accessed Nov 17, 2025.
[Back to top]()
About the authors
[](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/elizabeth-ayoola)
[Elizabeth Ayoola](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/elizabeth-ayoola) Elizabeth Ayoola is a Lead Multimedia Producer and Co-Host of the Smart Money Podcast. Her work has been featured in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, MSN, Debt.com, ESSENCE, The Knot, and POPSUGAR. [See full bio.](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/elizabeth-ayoola)
[](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/june-sham)
[June Sham](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/june-sham) June Sham is a lead writer on NerdWallet's investing and taxes team covering retirement and personal finance. [See full bio.](https://www.nerdwallet.com/author/june-sham)
On this page
[Back to top ↑]()
On this page
╳
- [What is an after-tax 401(k)?](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#what-is-an-aftertax-401k)
- [How after-tax 401(k) contributions work](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#how-aftertax-401k-contributions-work)
- [Strategies for after-tax 401(k) contributions](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#strategies-for-aftertax-401k-contributions)
Strategies for after-tax 401(k) contributions
- [Put contributions into a Roth](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#put-contributions-into-a-roth)
- [Split between a traditional and Roth IRA to defer taxes](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#split-between-a-traditional-and-roth-ira-to-defer-taxes)
- [Benefits of after-tax contributions](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#benefits-of-aftertax-contributions)
- [Are after-tax 401(k) contributions right for me?](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions#are-aftertax-401k-contributions-right-for-me)
More like this
[Investment Basics](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/learn)[Investing](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing)
Related articles
[ How Much Does a Financial Advisor Cost?  2 By Andrea Coombes, Taryn Phaneuf](https://www.nerdwallet.com/financial-advisors/learn/how-much-does-a-financial-advisor-cost)
[ Do You Need a Financial Advisor? 7 Ways to Tell  By Taryn Phaneuf](https://www.nerdwallet.com/financial-advisors/learn/do-i-need-financial-advisor)
[ How to Find Cheap or Free Financial Advice  By Anna-Louise Jackson](https://www.nerdwallet.com/financial-advisors/learn/free-financial-advice)
[ Retirement Calculator  2 By June Sham, Alana Benson](https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/calculators/retirement-calculator)

Finance Smarter
[Learn more about the app](https://www.nerdwallet.com/l/nerdwallet-app-track-your-wealth-and-build-your-future)
Download the app
[](https://nerdwallet.onelink.me/3687710914/87a0b5b3)
4\.8
121,000+ reviews
[%22%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%220%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%2300A0FF%22%2F%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%226.569999e-03%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%2300A1FF%22%2F%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%220.2601%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%2300BEFF%22%2F%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%220.5122%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%2300D2FF%22%2F%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%220.7604%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%2300DFFF%22%2F%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%221%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%2300E3FF%22%2F%3E%3C%2FlinearGradient%3E%3Cpath%20fill-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20clip-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20fill%3D%22url\(%23SVGID_1_\)%22%20d%3D%22M418.4%2C302.1c-11.6%2C12.5-18.3%2C31.6-18.3%2C56.6v886.7c0%2C25%2C6.7%2C44.1%2C18.7%2C56.1l3.1%2C2.7l496.8-496.8v-11.1%20L421.5%2C299.4C421.5%2C299.4%2C418.4%2C302.1%2C418.4%2C302.1z%22%2F%3E%3ClinearGradient%20id%3D%22SVGID_2_%22%20gradientUnits%3D%22userSpaceOnUse%22%20x1%3D%221712.6624%22%20y1%3D%221274.8376%22%20x2%3D%221606.5613%22%20y2%3D%221274.8376%22%20gradientTransform%3D%22matrix\(9.145%200%200%20-7.7%20-14305.5381%2010618.251\)%22%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%220%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%23FFE000%22%2F%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%220.4087%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%23FFBD00%22%2F%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%220.7754%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%23FFA500%22%2F%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%221%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%23FF9C00%22%2F%3E%3C%2FlinearGradient%3E%3Cpath%20fill-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20clip-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20fill%3D%22url\(%23SVGID_2_\)%22%20d%3D%22M1084%2C973.5L918.3%2C807.8v-11.6L1084%2C630.5l3.6%2C2.2l196%2C111.4c56.1%2C31.6%2C56.1%2C83.8%2C0%2C115.8l-196%2C111.4%20C1087.6%2C971.3%2C1084%2C973.5%2C1084%2C973.5z%22%2F%3E%3ClinearGradient%20id%3D%22SVGID_3_%22%20gradientUnits%3D%22userSpaceOnUse%22%20x1%3D%221707.4414%22%20y1%3D%221290.0475%22%20x2%3D%221646.682%22%20y2%3D%221211.2225%22%20gradientTransform%3D%22matrix\(15.02%200%200%20-11.5775%20-24650.2285%2015829.6484\)%22%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%220%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%23FF3A44%22%2F%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%221%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%23C31162%22%2F%3E%3C%2FlinearGradient%3E%3Cpath%20fill%3D%22url\(%23SVGID_3_\)%22%20fill-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20clip-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20d%3D%22M1087.6%2C971.3L918.3%2C802l-499.9%2C499.9c18.3%2C19.6%2C49%2C21.8%2C83.3%2C2.7L1087.6%2C971.3%22%2F%3E%3ClinearGradient%20id%3D%22SVGID_4_%22%20gradientUnits%3D%22userSpaceOnUse%22%20x1%3D%221660.6357%22%20y1%3D%221365.6676%22%20x2%3D%221687.767%22%20y2%3D%221330.4501%22%20gradientTransform%3D%22matrix\(15.02%200%200%20-11.5715%20-24650.2285%2015809.9922\)%22%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%220%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%2332A071%22%2F%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%226.850000e-02%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%232DA771%22%2F%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%220.4762%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%2315CF74%22%2F%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%220.8009%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%2306E775%22%2F%3E%3Cstop%20offset%3D%221%22%20style%3D%22stop-color%3A%2300F076%22%2F%3E%3C%2FlinearGradient%3E%3Cpath%20fill%3D%22url\(%23SVGID_4_\)%22%20fill-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20enable-background%3D%22new%22%20clip-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20d%3D%22M1087.6%2C632.7L501.7%2C299.9c-34.3-19.6-65.1-16.9-83.3%2C2.7L918.3%2C802L1087.6%2C632.7z%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20fill-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20clip-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20opacity%3D%220.2%22%20d%3D%22M1084%2C967.7l-581.9%2C330.6c-32.5%2C18.7-61.5%2C17.4-80.2%2C0.4l-3.1%2C3.1l3.1%2C2.7c18.7%2C16.9%2C47.7%2C18.3%2C80.2-0.4%20L1088%2C971.3C1088%2C971.3%2C1084%2C967.7%2C1084%2C967.7z%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20fill-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20clip-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20opacity%3D%220.12%22%20enable-background%3D%22new%22%20d%3D%22M1283.6%2C854.1l-200.1%2C113.6l3.6%2C3.6l196-111.4c28.1-16%2C41.9-37%2C41.9-57.9C1323.3%2C821.2%2C1309%2C839.4%2C1283.6%2C854.1%20z%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20fill-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20clip-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20opacity%3D%220.25%22%20enable-background%3D%22new%22%20d%3D%22M501.7%2C305.7l781.9%2C444.2c25.4%2C14.3%2C39.7%2C33%2C41.9%2C52.1c0-20.9-13.8-41.9-41.9-57.9L501.7%2C299.9%20c-56.1-32.1-101.6-5.3-101.6%2C58.8v5.8C400.1%2C300.3%2C445.6%2C274%2C501.7%2C305.7z%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)](https://nerdwallet.onelink.me/3687710914/233a7a41)
4\.3
31,200+ reviews

About
[Company](https://www.nerdwallet.com/company)[Leadership](https://www.nerdwallet.com/leadership)[Careers](https://www.nerdwallet.com/careers)[Corporate impact](https://www.nerdwallet.com/corporate-impact)[Diversity & Inclusion](https://www.nerdwallet.com/diversity-inclusion)[Editorial guidelines](https://www.nerdwallet.com/l/nerdwallet-editorial-guidelines)[Star rating methodologies](https://www.nerdwallet.com/l/rating-methodologies)[Editorial team](https://www.nerdwallet.com/l/nerdwallet-editorial-team)[Press](https://www.nerdwallet.com/press)[Press kit](https://www.nerdwallet.com/kit)[Investors](https://investors.nerdwallet.com/)
Help
[Help center](https://support.nerdwallet.com/hc/en-us)[Security FAQs](https://www.nerdwallet.com/l/security)
Legal
[Terms of use](https://www.nerdwallet.com/p/terms-of-use)[Supplier Code of Conduct](https://www.nerdwallet.com/p/supplier-code-of-conduct)[Privacy policy](https://www.nerdwallet.com/p/privacy-policy)[California privacy policy](https://www.nerdwallet.com/p/nerdwallet-california-privacy-policy)[Privacy preferences](https://www.nerdwallet.com/p/privacy-policy)[Do not sell or share my personal information](https://privacyportal.onetrust.com/webform/694a76f6-1f82-455e-b46e-ffeed902c3fa/db85134f-a11a-451c-a462-3f2f39a662bc)
Disclaimer: NerdWallet strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific product's site. All financial products, shopping products and services are presented without warranty. When evaluating offers, please review the financial institution's Terms and Conditions. Pre-qualified offers are not binding. If you find discrepancies with your credit score or information from your credit report, please contact TransUnion® directly.
NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID\# 1617539[NMLS Consumer Access](https://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/EntityDetails.aspx/COMPANY/1617539) \|[Licenses and Disclosures](https://www.nerdwallet.com/p/nerdwallet-compare-inc-licenses-and-disclosures)
California: California Finance Lender loans arranged pursuant to Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Finance Lenders License \#60DBO-74812
Insurance Services offered through NerdWallet Insurance Services, Inc. (CA resident license no.OK92033) [Insurance Licenses](https://www.nerdwallet.com/nerdwallet-insurance-services-inc-licenses-and-disclosures)
Fundera, Inc. NMLS ID\# 1240038[NMLS Consumer Access](https://nmlsconsumeraccess.org/)
California: California Finance Lender loans arranged pursuant to the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Finance Lenders License \#603L288
NerdWallet has engaged Atomic Invest LLC (“Atomic”), an SEC-registered investment adviser, to bring you the opportunity to open investment advisory accounts (Automated Investing Account and/or Treasury Account) with Atomic. NerdWallet receives compensation of 0% to 0.85% of assets under management annualized, payable monthly, for each referred client who opens an Atomic account and a percentage of free cash interest earned by clients, which creates a conflict of interest. Brokerage services for Atomic are provided by Atomic Brokerage LLC ("Atomic Brokerage"), member of [FINRA](https://www.finra.org/#/)/[SIPC](https://www.sipc.org/) and an affiliate of Atomic, which creates a conflict of interest. See details about Atomic, in their [Form CRS](https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/crs/crs_313255.pdf), [Form ADV Part 2A](https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/brochure/313255) and [Privacy Policy](https://legal.atomicvest.com/usa.privacy.de3d0277-78f7-4741-9e9f-755f6b4f03ba.pdf). See details about Atomic Brokerage in their [Form CRS](https://files.brokercheck.finra.org/crs_315263.pdf), [General Disclosures](https://legal.atomicvest.com/usa.broker.disclosures.003464f3-f6bd-41c3-bbdf-7050e50b43a2.pdf), [fee schedule](https://legal.atomicvest.com/usa.broker.schedule.7ea28665-88a9-4542-a748-987e90ea46b6.pdf), and FINRA’s [BrokerCheck](https://brokercheck.finra.org/).
You also can open a Cash Account offered by Atomic Brokerage which allows you to earn interest on your cash through a cash sweep program. [View Important Cash Account Disclosures.](https://www.atomicvest.com/legal/disclosures/7d9c31dd-bf97-46ae-9803-1774b97187af)
Neither Atomic Invest nor Atomic Brokerage, nor any of their affiliates is a bank. Investments in securities: Not FDIC Insured, Not Bank Guaranteed, May Lose Value. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Before investing, consider your investment objectives and the fees and expenses charged.
Images are for illustrative purposes only.
NerdWallet™ \| 4150 N Drinkwater Blvd, Suite 200, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
[%22%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M22.81%204H1.42004V18.58H22.81V4Z%22%20stroke%3D%22currentColor%22%20strokeMiterlimit%3D%2210%22%20strokeLinejoin%3D%22round%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M22.81%204H1.42004V5.12H22.81V4Z%22%20fill%3D%22currentColor%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M22.81%206.24H1.42004V7.36H22.81V6.24Z%22%20fill%3D%22currentColor%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M22.81%208.48H1.42004V9.6H22.81V8.48Z%22%20fill%3D%22currentColor%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M22.81%2010.73H1.42004V11.85H22.81V10.73Z%22%20fill%3D%22currentColor%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M22.81%2012.97H1.42004V14.09H22.81V12.97Z%22%20fill%3D%22currentColor%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M22.81%2015.21H1.42004V16.33H22.81V15.21Z%22%20fill%3D%22currentColor%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M22.81%2017.46H1.42004V18.58H22.81V17.46Z%22%20fill%3D%22currentColor%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M9.97004%204H1.42004V11.85H9.97004V4Z%22%20fill%3D%22currentColor%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M1.82007%204.63L2.02007%204.83L1.94007%205.14L2.15007%204.95L2.35007%205.14L2.27007%204.83L2.48007%204.63H2.22007L2.15007%204.32L2.07007%204.63H1.82007Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M3.23999%204.63L3.43999%204.83L3.35999%205.14L3.56999%204.95L3.76999%205.14L3.68999%204.83L3.88999%204.63H3.63999L3.56999%204.32L3.48999%204.63H3.23999Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M4.65002%204.63L4.86002%204.83L4.78002%205.14L4.98002%204.95L5.19002%205.14L5.11002%204.83L5.31002%204.63H5.06002L4.98002%204.32L4.91002%204.63H4.65002Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M6.07007%204.63L6.28007%204.83L6.20007%205.14L6.40007%204.95L6.61007%205.14L6.53007%204.83L6.73007%204.63H6.48007L6.40007%204.32L6.32007%204.63H6.07007Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M7.48999%204.63L7.68999%204.83L7.61999%205.14L7.81999%204.95L8.01999%205.14L7.94999%204.83L8.14999%204.63H7.89999L7.81999%204.32L7.73999%204.63H7.48999Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M8.91003%204.63L9.11003%204.83L9.03003%205.14L9.24003%204.95L9.44003%205.14L9.36003%204.83L9.57003%204.63H9.32003L9.24003%204.32L9.16003%204.63H8.91003Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M2.53003%205.42L2.73003%205.61L2.65003%205.92L2.86003%205.73L3.06003%205.92L2.98003%205.61L3.19003%205.42H2.93003L2.86003%205.11L2.78003%205.42H2.53003Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M3.94006%205.42L4.15006%205.61L4.07006%205.92L4.27006%205.73L4.48006%205.92L4.40006%205.61L4.60006%205.42H4.35006L4.27006%205.11L4.20006%205.42H3.94006Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M5.35999%205.42L5.56999%205.61L5.48998%205.92L5.68999%205.73L5.89999%205.92L5.81999%205.61L6.01999%205.42H5.76999L5.68999%205.11L5.60999%205.42H5.35999Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M6.78003%205.42L6.98003%205.61L6.91003%205.92L7.11003%205.73L7.31003%205.92L7.24003%205.61L7.44003%205.42H7.19003L7.11003%205.11L7.03003%205.42H6.78003Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M8.20007%205.42L8.40007%205.61L8.32007%205.92L8.53007%205.73L8.73007%205.92L8.65007%205.61L8.86007%205.42H8.61007L8.53007%205.11L8.45007%205.42H8.20007Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M1.82007%206.21L2.02007%206.4L1.94007%206.71L2.15007%206.52L2.35007%206.71L2.27007%206.4L2.48007%206.21H2.22007L2.15007%205.9L2.07007%206.21H1.82007Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M3.23999%206.21L3.43999%206.4L3.35999%206.71L3.56999%206.52L3.76999%206.71L3.68999%206.4L3.88999%206.21H3.63999L3.56999%205.9L3.48999%206.21H3.23999Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M4.65002%206.21L4.86002%206.4L4.78002%206.71L4.98002%206.52L5.19002%206.71L5.11002%206.4L5.31002%206.21H5.06002L4.98002%205.9L4.91002%206.21H4.65002Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M6.07007%206.21L6.28007%206.4L6.20007%206.71L6.40007%206.52L6.61007%206.71L6.53007%206.4L6.73007%206.21H6.48007L6.40007%205.9L6.32007%206.21H6.07007Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M7.48999%206.21L7.68999%206.4L7.61999%206.71L7.81999%206.52L8.01999%206.71L7.94999%206.4L8.14999%206.21H7.89999L7.81999%205.9L7.73999%206.21H7.48999Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M8.91003%206.21L9.11003%206.4L9.03003%206.71L9.24003%206.52L9.44003%206.71L9.36003%206.4L9.57003%206.21H9.32003L9.24003%205.9L9.16003%206.21H8.91003Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M2.54004%207L2.75004%207.19L2.67004%207.5L2.87004%207.31L3.08004%207.5L3.00004%207.19L3.20004%207H2.95004L2.87004%206.69L2.80004%207H2.54004Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M3.96008%207L4.17008%207.19L4.09008%207.5L4.29008%207.31L4.50008%207.5L4.42008%207.19L4.62008%207H4.37008L4.29008%206.69L4.21008%207H3.96008Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M5.38%207L5.58%207.19L5.51%207.5L5.71%207.31L5.91%207.5L5.84%207.19L6.04%207H5.79L5.71%206.69L5.63%207H5.38Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M6.80005%207L7.00005%207.19L6.92005%207.5L7.13005%207.31L7.33005%207.5L7.25005%207.19L7.46005%207H7.21005L7.13005%206.69L7.05005%207H6.80005Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M8.22009%207L8.42009%207.19L8.34009%207.5L8.55009%207.31L8.75009%207.5L8.67009%207.19L8.88009%207H8.62009L8.55009%206.69L8.47009%207H8.22009Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M1.84009%207.78L2.04009%207.97L1.96009%208.28L2.17009%208.09L2.37009%208.28L2.29009%207.97L2.50009%207.78H2.25009L2.17009%207.47L2.09009%207.78H1.84009Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M3.26001%207.78L3.46001%207.97L3.38001%208.28L3.59001%208.09L3.79001%208.28L3.71001%207.97L3.92001%207.78H3.66001L3.59001%207.47L3.51001%207.78H3.26001Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M4.68005%207.78L4.88005%207.97L4.80005%208.28L5.00005%208.09L5.21005%208.28L5.13005%207.97L5.33005%207.78H5.08005L5.00005%207.47L4.93005%207.78H4.68005Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M6.09009%207.78L6.30009%207.97L6.22009%208.28L6.42009%208.09L6.63009%208.28L6.55009%207.97L6.75009%207.78H6.50009L6.42009%207.47L6.35009%207.78H6.09009Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M7.51001%207.78L7.72001%207.97L7.64001%208.28L7.84001%208.09L8.04001%208.28L7.97001%207.97L8.17001%207.78H7.92001L7.84001%207.47L7.76001%207.78H7.51001Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M8.93005%207.78L9.13005%207.97L9.06005%208.28L9.26005%208.09L9.46005%208.28L9.39005%207.97L9.59005%207.78H9.34005L9.26005%207.47L9.18005%207.78H8.93005Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M1.8501%209.33L2.0601%209.52L1.9801%209.83L2.1801%209.64L2.3901%209.83L2.3101%209.52L2.5101%209.33H2.2601L2.1801%209.02L2.1001%209.33H1.8501Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M3.27002%209.33L3.47002%209.52L3.40002%209.83L3.60002%209.64L3.80002%209.83L3.73002%209.52L3.93002%209.33H3.68002L3.60002%209.02L3.52002%209.33H3.27002Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M4.69006%209.33L4.89006%209.52L4.81006%209.83L5.02006%209.64L5.22006%209.83L5.14006%209.52L5.35006%209.33H5.10006L5.02006%209.02L4.94006%209.33H4.69006Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M6.10999%209.33L6.30999%209.52L6.22999%209.83L6.43999%209.64L6.63999%209.83L6.55999%209.52L6.76999%209.33H6.50999L6.43999%209.02L6.35999%209.33H6.10999Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M7.52002%209.33L7.73002%209.52L7.65002%209.83L7.85002%209.64L8.06002%209.83L7.98002%209.52L8.18002%209.33H7.93002L7.85002%209.02L7.78002%209.33H7.52002Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M8.94006%209.33L9.15006%209.52L9.07006%209.83L9.27006%209.64L9.48006%209.83L9.40006%209.52L9.60006%209.33H9.35006L9.27006%209.02L9.19006%209.33H8.94006Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M1.83008%2010.9L2.04008%2011.09L1.96008%2011.4L2.16008%2011.21L2.37008%2011.4L2.29008%2011.09L2.49008%2010.9H2.24008L2.16008%2010.59L2.09008%2010.9H1.83008Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M3.25%2010.9L3.46%2011.09L3.38%2011.4L3.58%2011.21L3.79%2011.4L3.71%2011.09L3.91%2010.9H3.66L3.58%2010.59L3.5%2010.9H3.25Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M4.67004%2010.9L4.87004%2011.09L4.80004%2011.4L5.00004%2011.21L5.20004%2011.4L5.13004%2011.09L5.33004%2010.9H5.08004L5.00004%2010.59L4.92004%2010.9H4.67004Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M6.09009%2010.9L6.29009%2011.09L6.22009%2011.4L6.42009%2011.21L6.62009%2011.4L6.54009%2011.09L6.75009%2010.9H6.50009L6.42009%2010.59L6.34009%2010.9H6.09009Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M7.51001%2010.9L7.71001%2011.09L7.63001%2011.4L7.84001%2011.21L8.04001%2011.4L7.96001%2011.09L8.17001%2010.9H7.91001L7.84001%2010.59L7.76001%2010.9H7.51001Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M8.93005%2010.9L9.13005%2011.09L9.05005%2011.4L9.26005%2011.21L9.46005%2011.4L9.38005%2011.09L9.59005%2010.9H9.33005L9.26005%2010.59L9.18005%2010.9H8.93005Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M2.55005%208.55L2.75005%208.74L2.67005%209.05L2.88005%208.86L3.08005%209.05L3.00005%208.74L3.21005%208.55H2.96005L2.88005%208.24L2.80005%208.55H2.55005Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M3.97009%208.55L4.17009%208.74L4.09009%209.05L4.30009%208.86L4.50009%209.05L4.42009%208.74L4.63009%208.55H4.37009L4.30009%208.24L4.22009%208.55H3.97009Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M5.38%208.55L5.59%208.74L5.51%209.05L5.71%208.86L5.92%209.05L5.84%208.74L6.04%208.55H5.79L5.71%208.24L5.64%208.55H5.38Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M6.80005%208.55L7.01005%208.74L6.93005%209.05L7.13005%208.86L7.34005%209.05L7.26005%208.74L7.46005%208.55H7.21005L7.13005%208.24L7.05005%208.55H6.80005Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M8.22009%208.55L8.42009%208.74L8.35009%209.05L8.55009%208.86L8.75009%209.05L8.68009%208.74L8.88009%208.55H8.63009L8.55009%208.24L8.47009%208.55H8.22009Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M2.54004%2010.11L2.75004%2010.3L2.67004%2010.62L2.87004%2010.42L3.08004%2010.62L3.00004%2010.3L3.20004%2010.11H2.95004L2.87004%209.8L2.80004%2010.11H2.54004Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M3.96008%2010.11L4.17008%2010.3L4.09008%2010.62L4.29008%2010.42L4.50008%2010.62L4.42008%2010.3L4.62008%2010.11H4.37008L4.29008%209.8L4.21008%2010.11H3.96008Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M5.38%2010.11L5.58%2010.3L5.51%2010.62L5.71%2010.42L5.91%2010.62L5.84%2010.3L6.04%2010.11H5.79L5.71%209.8L5.63%2010.11H5.38Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M6.80005%2010.11L7.00005%2010.3L6.92005%2010.62L7.13005%2010.42L7.33005%2010.62L7.25005%2010.3L7.46005%2010.11H7.21005L7.13005%209.8L7.05005%2010.11H6.80005Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M8.22009%2010.11L8.42009%2010.3L8.34009%2010.62L8.55009%2010.42L8.75009%2010.62L8.67009%2010.3L8.88009%2010.11H8.62009L8.55009%209.8L8.47009%2010.11H8.22009Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cdefs%3E%3CclipPath%20id%3D%22clipUS%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%2224%22%20height%3D%2224%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%20%2F%3E%3C%2FclipPath%3E%3C%2Fdefs%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)NerdWallet USA](https://www.nerdwallet.com/)
\|
[%22%3E%3Cg%20clip-path%3D%27url\(%23clipCA\)%27%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M22.81%201H1.42V15.58H22.81V1Z%22%20stroke%3D%22currentColor%22%20strokeMiterlimit%3D%2210%22%20strokeLinejoin%3D%22round%22%20%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M14.7425%2010.5472C14.7961%2010.4936%2017%208.56438%2017%208.56438L16.6245%208.40343C16.4099%208.29828%2016.4657%208.15665%2016.5172%208.03004C16.5687%207.86695%2016.9485%206.58584%2016.9485%206.58584C16.9485%206.58584%2015.9249%206.80043%2015.7103%206.85408C15.5494%206.90558%2015.4957%206.80043%2015.4421%206.69313C15.3884%206.58584%2015.1202%205.99785%2015.1202%205.99785C15.1202%205.99785%2013.9914%207.28326%2013.9378%207.33476C13.7232%207.49571%2013.5064%207.33476%2013.5601%207.12017C13.5601%206.90558%2014.1524%204.33906%2014.1524%204.33906C14.1524%204.33906%2013.5064%204.71245%2013.2918%204.81974C13.1309%204.92704%2013.0215%204.92704%2012.9142%204.71245C12.8047%204.5515%2011.9979%203%2011.9979%203C11.9979%203%2011.1931%204.5515%2011.0858%204.71245C10.9785%204.92704%2010.8712%204.92704%2010.7082%204.81974C10.4936%204.71245%209.84764%204.33906%209.84764%204.33906C9.84764%204.33906%2010.4399%206.90558%2010.4399%207.12017C10.4936%207.33476%2010.279%207.49571%2010.0622%207.33476C10.0086%207.28112%208.87983%205.99785%208.87983%205.99785C8.87983%205.99785%208.61159%206.58369%208.55794%206.69099C8.50429%206.79828%208.45064%206.90343%208.2897%206.85193C8.07296%206.79828%207.0515%206.58369%207.0515%206.58369C7.0515%206.58369%207.42918%207.86481%207.48283%208.0279C7.53433%208.15665%207.59013%208.29614%207.37554%208.40129L7%208.56438C7%208.56438%209.20172%2010.4936%209.25751%2010.5472C9.36695%2010.6545%209.4721%2010.7082%209.36695%2011.03C9.25751%2011.3519%209.15021%2011.7833%209.15021%2011.7833C9.15021%2011.7833%2011.1931%2011.3519%2011.4099%2011.2983C11.5966%2011.279%2011.8026%2011.3519%2011.8026%2011.5665C11.8026%2011.7811%2011.6781%2013.9871%2011.6781%2013.9871H12.3219C12.3219%2013.9871%2012.1974%2011.7833%2012.1974%2011.5665C12.1974%2011.3498%2012.4013%2011.279%2012.5923%2011.2983C12.8069%2011.3519%2014.8498%2011.7833%2014.8498%2011.7833C14.8498%2011.7833%2014.7425%2011.3519%2014.6352%2011.03C14.5279%2010.7082%2014.6352%2010.6545%2014.7425%2010.5472Z%22%20fill%3D%22currentColor%22%20%2F%3E%3Crect%20x%3D%221%22%20y%3D%221%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2215%22%20fill%3D%22currentColor%22%20%2F%3E%3Crect%20x%3D%2218%22%20y%3D%221%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2215%22%20fill%3D%22currentColor%22%20%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cdefs%3E%3CclipPath%20id%3D%27clipCA%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%2228%22%20height%3D%2220%22%20fill%3D%22currentColor%22%20%2F%3E%3C%2FclipPath%3E%3C%2Fdefs%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)NerdWallet CA](https://www.nerdwallet.com/ca)
© 2026 NerdWallet, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
[](https://twitter.com/NerdWallet)[](https://www.youtube.com/@nerdwallet)[](https://www.instagram.com/NerdWallet/)[%22%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M25.9209%200.108887H4.08039C1.88726%200.108887%200.109375%201.88677%200.109375%204.0799V25.9205C0.109375%2028.1136%201.88726%2029.8915%204.08039%2029.8915H25.9209C28.1141%2029.8915%2029.892%2028.1136%2029.892%2025.9205V4.0799C29.892%201.88677%2028.1141%200.108887%2025.9209%200.108887Z%22%20fill%3D%22black%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M15%2019.5C16.1931%2019.4988%2017.337%2019.0243%2018.1806%2018.1806C19.0243%2017.337%2019.4988%2016.1931%2019.5%2015V9C19.5%207.80653%2019.0259%206.66193%2018.182%205.81802C17.3381%204.97411%2016.1935%204.5%2015%204.5C13.8065%204.5%2012.6619%204.97411%2011.818%205.81802C10.9741%206.66193%2010.5%207.80653%2010.5%209V15C10.5012%2016.1931%2010.9757%2017.337%2011.8194%2018.1806C12.663%2019.0243%2013.8069%2019.4988%2015%2019.5ZM12%209C12%208.20435%2012.3161%207.44129%2012.8787%206.87868C13.4413%206.31607%2014.2044%206%2015%206C15.7957%206%2016.5587%206.31607%2017.1213%206.87868C17.6839%207.44129%2018%208.20435%2018%209V15C18%2015.7957%2017.6839%2016.5587%2017.1213%2017.1213C16.5587%2017.6839%2015.7957%2018%2015%2018C14.2044%2018%2013.4413%2017.6839%2012.8787%2017.1213C12.3161%2016.5587%2012%2015.7957%2012%2015V9ZM15.75%2022.4625V24.75C15.75%2024.9489%2015.671%2025.1397%2015.5303%2025.2803C15.3897%2025.421%2015.1989%2025.5%2015%2025.5C14.8011%2025.5%2014.6103%2025.421%2014.4697%2025.2803C14.329%2025.1397%2014.25%2024.9489%2014.25%2024.75V22.4625C12.4009%2022.2743%2010.6873%2021.4072%209.44048%2020.0288C8.19368%2018.6504%207.50228%2016.8586%207.5%2015C7.5%2014.8011%207.57902%2014.6103%207.71967%2014.4697C7.86032%2014.329%208.05109%2014.25%208.25%2014.25C8.44891%2014.25%208.63968%2014.329%208.78033%2014.4697C8.92098%2014.6103%209%2014.8011%209%2015C9%2016.5913%209.63214%2018.1174%2010.7574%2019.2426C11.8826%2020.3679%2013.4087%2021%2015%2021C16.5913%2021%2018.1174%2020.3679%2019.2426%2019.2426C20.3679%2018.1174%2021%2016.5913%2021%2015C21%2014.8011%2021.079%2014.6103%2021.2197%2014.4697C21.3603%2014.329%2021.5511%2014.25%2021.75%2014.25C21.9489%2014.25%2022.1397%2014.329%2022.2803%2014.4697C22.421%2014.6103%2022.5%2014.8011%2022.5%2015C22.4977%2016.8586%2021.8063%2018.6504%2020.5595%2020.0288C19.3127%2021.4072%2017.5991%2022.2743%2015.75%2022.4625Z%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cdefs%3E%3CclipPath%20id%3D%22clip0_20079_6302%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%2230%22%20height%3D%2230%22%20fill%3D%22white%22%2F%3E%3C%2FclipPath%3E%3C%2Fdefs%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)](https://play.megaphone.fm/xcr_lszorm-uiidw0pl5eq)[](https://www.tiktok.com/@nerdwallet?lang=en)
 |
| Readable Markdown | If you’ve reached your [401(k) annual contribution limit](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/401k-contribution-limits), you’re probably a super saver. The good news is, if you have additional dollars at your disposal, you may be able to add them to your 401(k) account using after-tax contributions.
What is an after-tax 401(k)?
An after-tax 401(k) contribution refers to after-tax dollars going toward a 401(k) account. Because you've already paid taxes on these funds, your taxable income isn't lowered for the year. A major appeal of the after-tax contribution is that you aren't limited to the annual 401(k) limit and that the contributions can be withdrawn tax-free, similar to a [Roth IRA](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/what-is-a-roth-ira) or a [Roth 401(k)](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/roth-401k).
The catch is that not all 401(k) plans allow after-tax contributions.
How after-tax 401(k) contributions work
Say you have a traditional 401(k) plan at work, and you make contributions through payroll.
The contribution limit is \$24,500 in 2026. People aged 50 and older can contribute an extra \$8,000 as a catch-up contribution. Due to the Secure 2.0 Act, those aged 60, 61, 62 and 63 get a higher catch-up contribution of \$11,250.
Your employer might also match a percentage of your contribution.
If your contributions and your employer match don't add up to the combined annual limit of \$70,000 in 2025, or your total limit with catch-up dollars factored in (either \$77,500 or \$81,250, depending on your age), you may be able to keep adding post-tax money to your 401(k) until you get to that amount.
To illustrate after-tax contributions, here's an example: Rachel is 45 years old, earns \$100,000 and has a 401(k) account at work. She contributes \$23,500 in 2025, the maximum for that year. Her employer offers a 100% employee match, up to 6% of her annual salary, which comes up to \$6,000. This means Rachel now has \$29,500 in her 401(k). Because the overall annual 401(k) limit for her age is \$70,000, and because her employer’s 401(k) plan allows for after-tax contributions, she can put an additional \$40,500 in after-tax dollars into her 401(k).
Not every employer provides an after-tax 401(k) contribution option, so check to see if it’s something you have access to.
Strategies for after-tax 401(k) contributions
You can increase your 401(k) savings by adding after-tax contributions, but there is a caveat: While contributions can come out in retirement tax-free, any earnings you make on those contributions are taxable. To minimize your taxes, you might consider rolling your after-tax contributions into a Roth IRA and the earnings into a traditional IRA (more on this below).
Put contributions into a Roth
You may be able to put your after-tax contributions into a designated Roth account to ensure tax-free withdrawals during retirement. That is, as long as you wait until age 59 ½ to withdraw, and you make your first contribution at least five years before then.
There are two ways you can roll after-tax contribution dollars into a Roth account:
- In-plan conversion: If your job offers an in-plan conversion, you can convert all or some of your 401(k) into a Roth account within your plan. You have to pay taxes on any earnings, and any amount you haven't paid taxes on before. But, like with a Roth IRA, your withdrawals in the future would be tax-free. Some plans have an auto-convert feature that automatically converts your after-tax contributions into a designated Roth.
- In-service withdrawal: If your employer offers in-service distributions or withdrawals, you can do a [mega backdoor Roth](https://www.nerdwallet.com/retirement/learn/mega-backdoor-roths-work). This is when you roll after-tax contributions into a Roth IRA outside of your retirement plan.
If your employer doesn’t offer in-plan conversions or in-service distributions on your 401(k) plan, you might consider asking what your options are for withdrawing money and putting it into an IRA. Make sure to ask about the rules associated with withdrawing money from your 401(k) and any potential penalties.
Split between a traditional and Roth IRA to defer taxes
If you want to defer paying taxes on your after-tax contribution earnings, you can put the after-tax dollars into a Roth IRA because you’ve already paid taxes on it, and put your earnings into a traditional IRA. If you choose to split your contributions this way, you pay taxes on the earnings whenever you withdraw the money from your traditional IRA.
Let's say you made a \$30,000 after-tax contribution to your 401(k). At the end of the year, when you check your account, you realize you made \$1,000 in earnings. You could either roll the total sum, ​​\$31,000, into a Roth IRA and pay taxes on the \$1,000 you earned, or you could put \$30,000 in a Roth IRA and \$1,000 into a traditional IRA. If you choose the latter, you don’t have to pay taxes until you withdraw from your traditional IRA during retirement.
AD
How does your
net worth stack up?
See where you stand compared to households like yours, and get steps you could take to grow from here.

[Run the numbers](https://nerdwalletwealthpartners.com/lp/networthcalculator?utm_medium=nw_wealth_partners_cta&utm_source=nerdwallet&utm_campaign=nwwp_mtkg__networthad_internal_032526&utm_term=%2Fretirement%2Flearn%2Fafter-tax-401k-contributions)
NWWP is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply skill or training. Calculator by NerdWallet, Inc., an affiliate, for informational purposes only.
Benefits of after-tax contributions
Vanguard’s report states that 10% of those surveyed who had access to after-tax 401(k) contributions made them, and they tended to have higher incomes. P
If you are a high earner, another reason to consider after-tax 401(k) contributions is that, unlike the Roth IRA, there are no income restrictions on making after-tax 401(k) contributions.
You can also withdraw your after-tax contributions without penalty or taxes. Your earnings on those contributions grow tax-deferred, but if you take those out, you do have to pay taxes. If you’re younger than 59 ½, you may also have to pay a 10% penalty when you withdraw.
Are after-tax 401(k) contributions right for me?
- If you’re a high earner and have maxed out your pre-tax 401(k) contributions, putting after-tax dollars into a 401(k) might be a good option for you to boost your retirement savings.
- If you want investments to grow tax-deferred for retirement and would rather not open a brokerage account, this could fit your needs. Why might 401(k) after-tax contributions be better? “It tends to be a little more tax-efficient to save within the after-tax 401(k) because you’re getting the tax-free compounding and then the tax-free withdrawals in retirement, whereas if you have a taxable brokerage account, at a minimum, you’re paying some capital gains taxes when you sell appreciated securities,” says Benz.
- If you decide not to do a rollover because your employer doesn’t offer in-plan conversions or in-service distributions, think carefully about whether after-tax contributions are right for you. If you leave your after-tax contributions to grow tax-deferred in your 401(k), you’ll have to pay taxes on any earnings once you withdraw them. |
| Shard | 34 (laksa) |
| Root Hash | 10009614238684002234 |
| Unparsed URL | com,nerdwallet!www,/retirement/learn/after-tax-401k-contributions s443 |