401(k) Calculator
An employer 401(k) match is one of the few genuinely guaranteed returns available in personal finance — and one of the most common ways employees leave real money unclaimed, simply by contributing below the match threshold without realizing it. This calculator projects your balance at retirement and checks your contribution against the 2026 IRS limit along the way.
Enter your details to see your projected balance.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your current age, retirement age, and current 401(k) balance.
- Enter your annual salary and your contribution percentage.
- Enter your employer's match as a percentage of salary (check your plan documents for the exact formula).
- Click "Project my 401(k)" to see your estimated balance at retirement.
How the calculation works
Your annual contribution is your salary multiplied by your contribution percentage, capped at the 2026 IRS limit. Your employer's contribution is calculated separately, based on the match formula you enter — common structures include 50% of your contribution up to 6% of salary, or a dollar-for-dollar match up to 3%. Both amounts are added to your existing balance and grown forward using compound monthly returns at your entered rate until your retirement age, the same math behind any compound growth projection: each year's balance earns a return, and next year's contributions build on top of that larger number.
A worked example
Say you're 30, earning $80,000, with $15,000 already saved. You contribute 6% of salary ($4,800/year), and your employer matches 50% up to that same 6% (adding $2,400/year) — $7,200 a year combined, growing at an assumed 7% return until you retire at 65. By retirement, that path typically lands somewhere north of $1.1 million, with more than half of that final balance coming from compound growth rather than money you or your employer ever directly contributed. That's the core argument for starting a 401(k) as early as possible: the earlier the contributions start, the more decades compounding has to work.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 2026 401(k) contribution limit?
$24,500 for employees under 50. Those 50+ can add a $8,000 catch-up ($32,500 total); ages 60-63 get a higher $11,250 catch-up ($35,750 total), per IRS Notice 2025-67.
Does the employer match count toward my limit?
No — the $24,500 limit applies to your own contributions only. Combined employee + employer contributions are capped separately at $72,000 for 2026.
Should I contribute more than the match?
Many planners suggest getting the full match first, then comparing a Roth or Traditional IRA and additional 401(k) contributions based on your tax situation.
How much should I actually be contributing?
At minimum, enough to capture your full employer match — leaving it unclaimed is turning down free money. Beyond that, a common target is 10-15% of salary including the match, adjusted for your other financial priorities.
What is vesting, and does it affect this calculator?
Vesting determines when employer match money actually becomes yours — some plans grant it immediately, others over several years of tenure. This calculator assumes full vesting; check your plan documents if you might leave before your match fully vests.
Am I contributing so much I'm missing my full match?
This can happen if your contribution rate hits the annual IRS limit early in the year — some plans don't "true up" the match afterward, meaning spreading contributions evenly across the year can actually capture more total match than front-loading them.