The existing /personal-finance/ page covers the standard 401(k) and Roth IRA. This section goes deeper into the accounts most people don't know about: the Solo 401(k) for the self-employed, the SEP-IRA, the HSA as a stealth retirement account, the 529 for college savings, and the 457(b) governmental plan. Each has a specific role in a legal tax-minimization playbook.
READING TIME: 5 MIN
Not a CPA or financial advisor. This is education, not tax or investment advice. Contribution limits, eligibility rules, and account features change annually. Anything marked [VERIFY] needs to be confirmed against current IRS publications before you act. For material decisions, hire a CPA.
The IRS gives a short list of accounts where income grows tax-free or tax-deferred. The 401(k) and Roth IRA are the famous two. The other five in this section are where the real leverage sits: a Solo 401(k) can shelter $70K/yr of self-employment income, an HSA is the only triple-tax-advantaged account in the code, a 529 has a new rollover to Roth path, and a governmental 457(b) lets early retirees access funds with no penalty. Pick the ones that fit your job and your life stage.
Each card is its own deep-dive. Skim the descriptions, click into whichever account matches your work situation.
Decision helper. Pick the first branch that matches your situation:
Most people never touch half of these accounts because nobody tells them they exist. A teacher with a 457(b) and a 403(b) and an HSA can shelter over $55K/yr of income from federal tax without ever doing anything exotic. The accounts are already in the code. You just have to open them.
Quick reference. All figures are preliminary until IRS publishes final 2026 inflation adjustments. Catch-up amounts apply at age 50+ unless noted.
| ACCOUNT | 2026 LIMIT [VERIFY] | CATCH-UP |
|---|---|---|
| 401(k) / 403(b) employee deferral | $23,500 | +$7,500 |
| Solo 401(k) combined cap | $70,000 | +$7,500 |
| SEP-IRA (employer only) | $70,000 or 25% of net SE income | N/A |
| Roth / Traditional IRA | $7,000 | +$1,000 |
| HSA (family) | $8,550 | +$1,000 (age 55) |
| HSA (single) | $4,300 | +$1,000 (age 55) |
| 457(b) governmental | $23,500 | +$7,500 |
| 529 superfund (one parent) | $95,000 (5-yr election) | N/A |
Last updated 2026-04-14. Not tax or legal advice.