The 15+ Years of Service Catch-Up allows long-term participants to increase their savings to "make up" for those career periods when they did not maximize their tax-deferred contributions. Here are the limits and a worksheet to show you how much extra you can save.
 

To be eligible, you must have worked for a YMCA for at least 15 years and your previous tax-deferred contributions could not have exceeded an average of $5,000 per year of service. Other restrictions may apply. Please call our Customer Service Department for details.
 

You may not use more than $15,000 of catch-up contributions over your lifetime, limited to $3,000 in any one year. For 2006 and thereafter, the lifetime limit is reduced by any of your designated Roth contributions.
 

If you are eligible to use the 15+ Years of Service Catch-Up, you can defer up to $3,000 more than the tax-deferred limit if you remain within the limits on total contributions for that year. For 2009, the tax-deferred limit is $16,500. If you are eligible for the 15+ Years of Service Catch-Up, you may contribute up to $19,500 tax deferred.
 

Participants who are age 50 or older (or will turn age 50 any time during the calendar year) are allowed to increase their annual tax-deferred contributions by $5,500. By taking advantage of the Age 50+ Catch-Up, your total contribution limit also increases by $5,500.

If you are eligible, amounts are attributed to the 15+ Years of Service Catch-Up first (to the extent it is available) and then to the Age 50+ Catch-Up. For example, if you are age 50 or over and also eligible for the entire $3,000 for the 15+ Years of Service Catch-Up, you can save $25,000 tax deferred in 2009 ($16,500 from the basic limit plus $3,000 of 15+ Years of Service Catch-Up plus $5,500 for Age 50+ Catch-Up). Restrictions may apply. Please call our Customer Service Department for details.