When were you able to max your 401k?

[Dr.Jeckyl]

2018/2019!! The DW and I decided to get rid of our student loans this year just in case one of us were to lose our jobs. We decided to do this vs. putting more into our retirement. This frees up almost $500 a month in debt payments. This allows us/me to relax a bit more just in case. We will only have the mortgage (only debt) and the usual bills to keep the lights on and keep the family fed. Once the student loan debt is gone we will likely be maxing my 401k. We've always gotten the employer match. This year we started maxing both our Roth IRAs.

I still need to figure out whether it will be better to use the Roth 401k or the traditional that my employer offers. The majority of my money is in the traditional since the Roth is a newer option with the company.

[StarBright]

I am also in the 2018 crowd. Haven't decided if I'm going to do it yet but 2018 is the first year that I theoretically could based on company limits and oldest child no longer in daycare.

very exciting!

[Bateaux]

In 1994.  I can't remember the max out then but it was pretty low.

[Drifterrider]

I have always maxed my 401K (I have the TSP).

We used to be limited to 10%.  By the time the limit was changed to the IRS $$ max, I earned more and maxed the dollars.  The year I turned 50 I also made the "catch up" contribution.

When I left the Air Force and went back to work for the government, I was able to pay an additional 7% to make up for the time I couldn't contribute so for four years I was contributing 17%.  My annual salary was $16,400.

I also bought a house, at 8% (that was a good rate in 1993).

I will retire in less than two years.  I think I'm good :)

[SweetRedWine]

I first maxed out my 401K after about 10 years of working full time.  That year I wanted to reduce my taxable income due to a large severance payout and halfway through the year I figured I'd try contributing about 25% of the income from my new job to my 401K.  I don't remember there being any limits. 

When setting up my contributions for the next year I realized how little I had noticed the reduced income, so I kept the same contribution.  Coincidentally, that percentage led me to max out my 401K.  It's been smooth sailing since then. 

Prior to this I contributed 10% per year and congratulated myself for that.  I was convinced I couldn't possibly contribute any more. 

[Dicey]

Um...never? Somehow I still got to FIRE anyway. I have a combination of HCOLA real estate, taxable accounts, tax deferred accounts, Roths, and cold, hard cash.

DH still works. When he retires, we will also have a defined benefit pension and a generous (-ish) healthcare allowance.
We will be entitled to generous SS income. We have discovered we will very likely make more in retirement than in our working years. Go figure.

There are lots of ways to get to FIRE. Posting not to brag, but to offer encouragement to those unable to max their 401k.
Starting early, spending less than you earn and investing the rest works pretty well too.

[Bird In Hand]

First job out of college I contributed somewhat less than the max amount.  Starting the next year, around age 22, I maxed out and have done so every year since.  For a DINK couple accustomed to a very modest college lifestyle, it wasn't a sacrifice at all.

I distinctly remember feeling absurdly rich in those days, despite having a fair bit of student loan/credit card debt, no savings (yet), and living in a small apartment.  In the present day, with no non-mortgage debt, NW into the 7 figures, salary about 2x higher (adjusted for inflation), living in a relatively nice house...I don't feel rich at all!

[FIREySkyline]

I bumped my contribution from 10% to 29% in may to get maxed out this year once I discovered MMM and realized I was being an idiot with my money. Could have been maxed out since I started working in 2011. Coulda shoulda woulda I guess. My 401 is only at 70k right now, but will be growing more quickly moving forward.

[ponyboy]

Since I started working a real job when I 27.  I started out making $52k/year...now im only at $63k/year and ive been able to max every year.

7 years maxing 401k and roth ira...accounts are yuuuggee!

[talltexan]

I started working in 2008 making 65k and set my contributions at 15% with an automatic 1% increase every year.  It wasn't until I noticed how the 1% increases were nearly inpercievable that I started raising it every couple of months until it was maxed out around 2011.  I also got my wife to do it and now we have over 650k just in our 401k's at 33.

Goldy, you deserve props. My wife and I started working in late 2008, and we're only up to $380,000 in our 401K's.

[jlcnuke]

I don't remember, sometime in my mid-30's I'd guess.  I've got records for the past 5 years and all of them were maxed out.

[dogboyslim]

In 1994.  I can't remember the max out then but it was pretty low.

When I started my career the max was $9500 and went to $10k the second year I participated.  That was 97/98.

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[JSMustachian]

This will be the first time my wife and I max out our $18,000 retirement accounts.

$18,000 403B
$18,000 403B
$18,000 457B

If we still have anything left over after expenses I try to put them in our IRA's. After we discovered MMM I promptly set my contributions to 40% and my wife's contributions to 64% to max everything out.