401(k) Calculator
Enter your age, salary, contribution rate and your employer's match. See what your 401(k) could be worth at retirement, how much comes from you, your employer and investment growth, and whether you're missing free match money.
Defaults are the 2026 limits; check IRS.gov for the current figures.
Balance by age
Year-by-year projection
| Age | Salary | You | Employer | Growth | End balance | Today's $ |
|---|
How to use the 401(k) Calculator
- Enter your ages, current 401(k) balance and annual salary.
- Set your contribution as a percentage of salary and choose your employer's match formula.
- Adjust the assumptions: salary growth, annual return, fund fees and inflation.
- Keep the IRS limit on to cap contributions at the annual deferral limit plus catch-up contributions.
- Read the projection, check the match message, and hover the chart or table for each year.
How the 401(k) projection is calculated
Each year the calculator works out your salary, your contribution and your employer's match, then grows the balance month by month:
- Salary in year t = current salary × (1 + salary growth)t.
- Your contribution = salary × contribution %, capped at the IRS deferral limit (plus catch-up if you're 50 or older) when the limit is on.
- Employer match = the match rate applied to the part of your salary you actually contribute, up to the match ceiling.
- Growth: contributions are added in 12 equal monthly amounts and the balance grows at a monthly rate of (1 + return − fees)1/12 − 1.
Example: a 30-year-old earning $75,000 who contributes 6% puts in $4,500 in the first year and receives a $2,250 match with a 50% up to 6% formula. That's $6,750 a year before any growth, which is 9% of salary.
Common employer match formulas
| Match formula | Contribute at least | Max match (% of salary) | Match on $75,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50% up to 6% | 6% | 3% | $2,250 |
| 100% up to 3% | 3% | 3% | $2,250 |
| 100% up to 4% | 4% | 4% | $3,000 |
| 100% of first 3% + 50% of next 2% (safe harbor) | 5% | 4% | $3,000 |
| 100% up to 6% | 6% | 6% | $4,500 |
Contributing less than the "contribute at least" figure leaves part of the match unclaimed. That match is an instant 50% or 100% return on those dollars, which is why capturing the full match is usually the first priority in retirement saving.
How small changes add up
Because returns compound for decades, early and steady contributions matter more than large late ones. A few rules of thumb:
- Raise your rate by 1% a year (for example with each pay rise) until you reach 10–15% including the match. Many plans offer automatic escalation.
- Watch fund fees. Broad index funds often charge 0.05–0.2% a year. Paying 1% or more can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars over a career.
- Use catch-up contributions from age 50, and the larger catch-up at ages 60–63, if you're behind.
- Check vesting. Employer contributions may vest over several years. If you leave early, you may forfeit part of the match.
The projection assumes a constant return. Real markets go up and down, so treat the result as an estimate. Check the outcome with a lower return, such as 5%, as well.
Frequently asked questions
How is the employer match calculated?
A match such as 50% up to 6% means your employer adds 50 cents for every dollar you contribute, on contributions up to 6% of your salary. On a $75,000 salary, contributing 6% ($4,500) earns a $2,250 match. Contributing more than 6% does not increase the match.
What are the 401(k) contribution limits for 2026?
The defaults in this calculator are $24,500 for employee deferrals, an extra $8,000 catch-up if you are 50 or older, and a higher $11,250 catch-up for ages 60 to 63. Employer contributions do not count toward the employee limit. Limits change most years, so check IRS.gov and edit the fields if needed.
What does "today's dollars" mean?
It divides the future balance by the cumulative inflation over the years until retirement, so you can compare it with prices today. A $1.5 million balance in 35 years buys roughly what $630,000 buys today at 2.5% inflation.
Why do fees matter so much?
Fees are taken every year from the whole balance, so they compound like negative returns. Over 35 years, a 1% fee instead of 0.1% can reduce the final balance by roughly 15 to 25 percent. This calculator subtracts the fee from the annual return.
What is the 4% rule?
It is a rule of thumb that withdrawing about 4% of your savings in the first year of retirement, then adjusting for inflation, has historically lasted around 30 years. It is a rough guide, not a guarantee.
Does this include Roth vs traditional taxes?
No. The projection shows the account balance. Traditional 401(k) withdrawals are taxed as income, while qualified Roth 401(k) withdrawals are tax free. The contribution limit is shared between both types.