401(k) Calculator
Project your 401(k) at retirement from salary, contribution rate, employer match and growth within the 2026 IRS deferral limit, and see the employer's share.
401(k) Calculator: with the default inputs, balance at retirement is $1,140,690.
"50% match up to 6%" means 50 here and 6 below.
- Your contributions
- $214,089
- Employer contributions
- $107,045
- Investment growth
- $794,556
- Your contribution this year
- $4,500
- Employer match this year
- $2,250
Assumptions
- 2026 IRS elective deferral limit of $24,500, indexed at your salary-growth rate; the §415(c) overall limit is not applied.
- Contributions and match are deposited monthly through each year; returns compound monthly at a constant rate.
- Employer contributions are assumed fully vested; no plan fees or taxes are deducted.
| Year | Salary | You | Employer | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $75,000 | $4,500 | $2,250 | $33,778 |
| 2 | $77,250 | $4,635 | $2,318 | $43,400 |
| 3 | $79,568 | $4,774 | $2,387 | $53,933 |
| 4 | $81,955 | $4,917 | $2,459 | $65,449 |
| 5 | $84,413 | $5,065 | $2,532 | $78,026 |
| 6 | $86,946 | $5,217 | $2,608 | $91,747 |
| 7 | $89,554 | $5,373 | $2,687 | $106,703 |
| 8 | $92,241 | $5,534 | $2,767 | $122,990 |
| 9 | $95,008 | $5,700 | $2,850 | $140,711 |
| 10 | $97,858 | $5,871 | $2,936 | $159,979 |
How this is worked out
The formula
Your deposit (year t) = min( salary_t × your %, IRS limit_t ) Employer match (year t) = min( your %, match cap % ) × salary_t × match rate Balance_t = FV( Balance_(t−1) at r/12 for 12 months, with (deposit + match) ÷ 12 each month ) salary_t = salary × (1 + g)^(t−1); the IRS limit is indexed the same way
Open How it’s calculated above to see this worked through with your own numbers.
What you enter
- Annual salary
- A number.in dollars · 0 or more · defaults to 75000
- Your contribution
- A number.a percentage · from 0 to 100 · defaults to 6
- Employer match
- "50% match up to 6%" means 50 here and 6 below.a percentage · from 0 to 200 · defaults to 50
- …on contributions up to
- A number.a percentage · from 0 to 100 · defaults to 6
- Current 401(k) balance
- A number.in dollars · 0 or more · defaults to 25000
- Expected annual return
- A number.a percentage · from -20 to 30 · defaults to 7
- Years until retirement
- A number.from 0 to 60 · whole numbers only · defaults to 30
- Annual salary growth(under More options)
- A number.a percentage · from 0 to 20 · defaults to 3
- IRS elective deferral limit(under More options)
- 2026 limit is $24,500. Add the $8,000 catch-up if you're 50+, or $11,250 at ages 60–63. Assumed to rise with salary growth.in dollars · 0 or more · defaults to 24500
What you get back
- Balance at retirementmain answer
- Your contributions
- Employer contributions
- Investment growth
- Your contribution this year
- Employer match this year
What this assumes
- 2026 IRS elective deferral limit of $24,500, indexed at your salary-growth rate; the §415(c) overall limit is not applied.
- Contributions and match are deposited monthly through each year; returns compound monthly at a constant rate.
- Employer contributions are assumed fully vested; no plan fees or taxes are deducted.
About this calculator
A 401(k) grows from three streams: what you put in, what your employer adds, and what the investments earn. The employer match is the only guaranteed 50% or 100% return you'll ever see, which is why the first rule of 401(k)s is to contribute at least enough to collect all of it. This calculator separates the three streams so you can see what each is worth by retirement.
How to use it
Enter your salary and the percentage you defer. Then describe the match the way HR does — "50% of contributions up to 6% of pay" means a match rate of 50 and a cap of 6. Add your current balance, an expected return and the years to go. More options holds the salary-growth assumption and the IRS deferral limit; change the limit if you're 50 or older and eligible for catch-up contributions.
The default limit is the 2026 figure of $24,500 (IRS §402(g)). The IRS indexes it to inflation each year in $500 steps, so the calculator lets it rise with your salary-growth rate rather than freezing it for 30 years.
Reading the results
- Balance at retirement is the projection in nominal dollars.
- Your vs employer contributions vs growth shows the split. Over a 30-year career at 7%, growth is typically more than half the total — time in the market does the heavy lifting.
- This year's match is the free money in your current setup. If you're below the match cap, the warning tells you exactly how much you're forfeiting.
Things the model doesn't do
Vesting: employer contributions may vest over 2–6 years, so the employer column is fully yours only if you stay. Taxes: a traditional 401(k) is taxed on withdrawal and a Roth 401(k) is taxed now; the balance shown is pre-tax either way. Fees: plan and fund expenses of 0.5% a year would trim the ending balance by roughly 10–15% over 30 years — subtract them from the return if you know them. The overall §415(c) cap on all contributions ($72,000 in 2026) is not enforced; it matters only for very high earners with generous matches. And the return is a smooth average; real results arrive in lumps.
Try Solve for → contribution percentage with a target balance to find the rate that gets you to your number.
Frequently asked questions
▸What is the 401(k) contribution limit for 2026?
$24,500 in employee elective deferrals (IRS §402(g)). Workers 50 and older can add an $8,000 catch-up, and those aged 60–63 a higher $11,250 catch-up. Employer contributions don't count toward this limit.
▸How does an employer match work?
Your employer contributes a percentage of what you put in, up to a cap expressed as a share of salary. With '50% up to 6%', contributing 6% of a $75,000 salary ($4,500) earns a $2,250 match; contributing 3% earns only $1,125.
▸Should I contribute more than the match?
Collect the full match first — it's an instant 50–100% return. Beyond that, compare with paying off high-interest debt, funding an HSA or a Roth IRA; then come back to the 401(k) up to the limit if you can.
▸Does the projection include taxes?
No. Traditional 401(k) balances are taxed as income when withdrawn; Roth 401(k) balances are not. The figure shown is the gross account value in either case.
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