Insights

Pursuant to the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (“FECA”), certain contribution limits are indexed for inflation every two years.

The inflation-adjusted limits for the 2021-22 election cycle are:

• The contribution limit from individuals to federal candidates has been increased to $2,900 per election (note that primary, runoff, and general elections are treated as separate elections for contribution limit purposes, and spouses may contribute $5,800 per election).
• The contribution limit from individuals to national party committees has been increased to $36,500 per calendar year
• The contribution limit from certain political party committees to U.S. Senate candidates has been increased to $51,200 per campaign (for Republicans, this limit is shared by the Republican National Committee (RNC) and National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC); for Democrats, this limit is shared by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC)

The inflation adjustments to these limits are made only in odd-numbered years. The per-election limits on contributions to candidates are in effect for the two-year election cycle beginning the day after the general election and ending on the date of the next general election (November 4, 2020 – November 8, 2022). All other contribution limits are in effect for the two-calendar-year period beginning on January 1, 2021, and ending on December 31, 2022.

Note that national party committees may establish accounts to defray certain expenses incurred with respect to presidential nominating conventions, election recounts and other legal proceedings, and headquarters buildings. The contribution limits applicable to these accounts are 300% of the limits on contributions to national party committees, which means that the accounts may accept up to $45,000 per year from multicandidate committees and $109,500 per year from other contributors during the 2021-2022 election cycle.

The 2021-2022 contribution limits were published in the Federal Register on February 2, 2021 at 86 Fed. Reg. 7867.