401(k) Calculator
Enter your age, salary, the share of pay you contribute and your employer match to see what your 401(k) could be worth at retirement. The calculator splits the total into your contributions, employer contributions and growth, shows the balance year by year, and flags any year your deferral goes over the IRS limit.
Last updated November 4, 2026
Your age on December 31 of this year; catch-up eligibility uses that age
Cents the employer adds per dollar you contribute
Result
Balance at 65 = $1,635,797.63
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Projected balance at 65 | $1,635,797.63 |
| Your contributions | $272,079.37 |
| Employer match | $136,039.68 |
| Starting balance | $25,000.00 |
| Investment growth | $1,202,678.58 |
| First-year contributions | $4,500.00 + $2,250.00 match |
| IRS limit check | Within the 2026 IRS deferral limit in every year ($24,500.00; $32,500.00 from age 50, $35,750.00 at ages 60 to 63). |
| Age | Salary | You | Employer | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | $84,413.16 | $5,064.79 | $2,532.39 | $77,417.93 |
| 40 | $97,857.99 | $5,871.48 | $2,935.74 | $157,682.70 |
| 45 | $113,444.23 | $6,806.65 | $3,403.33 | $278,078.56 |
| 50 | $131,512.95 | $7,890.78 | $3,945.39 | $456,005.94 |
| 55 | $152,459.56 | $9,147.57 | $4,573.79 | $716,068.20 |
| 60 | $176,742.41 | $10,604.54 | $5,302.27 | $1,093,002.84 |
| 65 | $204,892.90 | $12,293.57 | $6,146.79 | $1,635,797.63 |
A projection at one constant return; real returns vary and can be negative. 2026 IRS limits are held flat for every year, although they are indexed. Taxes, fees, vesting, the total annual additions limit and employer profit sharing are not included.
Show the work
Formula: Each year: your deferral = pay × your % (cut to the IRS limit if chosen); match = pay × min(your %, match cap) × match rate; balance = balance × (1 + return) + (deferral + match) × ((1 + return) − 1) ÷ (G − 1) ÷ 12, with G = (1 + return)^(1/12).
- Years of saving: 65 − 30 = 35.
- Year 1 pay $75,000.00; your deferral 6% = $4,500.00.
- Year 1 match: 6% × 50% of $75,000.00 = $2,250.00.
- Pay rises 3% a year, reaching $204,892.90 in the final year.
- Monthly deposits grow at 7% a year; year 1 ends at $33,713.92.
- After 35 years: $1,635,797.63 = $25,000.00 start + $272,079.37 you + $136,039.68 employer + $1,202,678.58 growth.
- Within the 2026 IRS deferral limit in every year ($24,500.00; $32,500.00 from age 50, $35,750.00 at ages 60 to 63).
Result: Balance at 65 = $1,635,797.63
How the 401(k) projection works
you = pay × your %
match = pay × min(your %, cap %) × match rate
balance = balance × (1 + return) + (you + match) deposited monthly
Each year starts from your salary, which rises by the growth rate you enter. Your deferral is that salary times your contribution percentage. The employer match is the salary times the smaller of your percentage and the match cap, times the match rate. A 50% match up to 6% means that if you put in 6% of pay, your employer adds 3% of pay.
The year’s total is paid in twelve equal monthly deposits. The balance grows at an effective annual return, using the same monthly model as the retirement calculator. The result is one projection at a constant return, so a bad early decade or a strong one will change it. Growth is the final balance minus the starting balance and every contribution.
Pay used for the percentage and the match is limited to the plan compensation limit of $360,000 for 2026. If you choose to cut deferrals to the IRS limit, the match is recalculated on what you actually contribute, so a capped deferral can lower the match.
See how we calculate for the formulas, sources and review schedule behind every calculator.
Also useful alongside this calculator: Retirement Calculator, Investment Calculator and Inflation Calculator.
2026 IRS contribution limits
For 2026 the employee elective deferral limit is $24,500. People who reach age 50 may add a catch-up of $8,000, for $32,500. For ages 60 to 63 the catch-up is $11,250, for $35,750. These come from IRS Notice 2025-67. The limit applies to your own deferrals, not the employer match.
The calculator holds these 2026 amounts for every future year. In reality the IRS indexes them, so the projection is slightly conservative for people who would reach the limit. It does not model the separate limit on total additions, vesting schedules, or the rule that some higher earners must make catch-up contributions as Roth.
Why the match matters
The match is part of your pay that you only receive if you contribute. Compare the table below: at 3% the example employer adds 1.5%, and from 6% on it adds the full 3%, so contributing less than the cap leaves money unclaimed. Check your plan for a vesting schedule, because unvested match can be lost if you leave.
For a broader plan that is not tied to a paycheck, such as savings outside the 401(k), use the retirement calculator.
Sources
Official and primary sources for the statements on this page. Their authors have not reviewed or endorsed this page.
- Internal Revenue Service, Notice 2025-67, "401(k) and IRA limits for 2026" (cost-of-living adjustments, November 2025).. The 2026 employee deferral limit of $24,500, the $8,000 catch-up, the $11,250 catch-up at ages 60 to 63 and the $360,000 compensation limit.
The $24,500 deferral limit and the $8,000 and $11,250 catch-ups were checked against the IRS announcement of Notice 2025-67 on 2026-11-04; the $360,000 compensation limit was not separately confirmed. Confirm them on irs.gov and with your plan, because plans can set lower limits.
Returns, raises and the match formula are your own assumptions, not data from a source.
This page is an estimate for general information, not financial or tax advice.
How to use the 401(k) Calculator
- Enter your current age, retirement age, 401(k) balance and annual salary.
- Enter your yearly raise, your contribution percentage, and your employer match rate and cap.
- Enter the annual return you want to assume and choose whether to cut deferrals at the IRS limit.
- Read the projected balance, the contribution split and the limit check, then Copy, Print or Share.
Worked example
A 30-year-old earns $75,000, with a 3% yearly raise and $25,000 already saved. They plan to retire at 65, assume a 7% return, and the employer matches 50% of contributions up to 6% of pay. In the first year, 6% is $4,500 and the match is $2,250. The table changes only the contribution percentage and the match.
| Scenario | You contribute | Employer adds | Balance at 65 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No contributions | $0.00 | $0.00 | $266,914.54 |
| 3% with 50% match to 6% | $136,039.68 | $68,019.84 | $951,356.09 |
| 6% with 50% match to 6% | $272,079.37 | $136,039.68 | $1,635,797.63 |
| 10% with 50% match to 6% | $453,465.61 | $136,039.68 | $2,244,190.12 |
| 6% with 100% match to 6% | $272,079.37 | $272,079.37 | $2,092,092.00 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 401(k) contribution limit for 2026?
The employee deferral limit is $24,500, plus an $8,000 catch-up from age 50, or $11,250 at ages 60 to 63. The employer match does not count against your deferral limit.
How does an employer 401(k) match work?
The employer adds a set share of what you contribute, up to a cap on your pay. With a 50% match up to 6%, a 6% contribution earns an extra 3% of your salary.
Does this calculator include taxes or fees?
No. It shows pre-tax dollars at one constant return, without fund fees or withdrawal taxes. Real returns vary, so use it to compare choices, not to predict a balance.
What happens if my contribution is above the IRS limit?
The result flags every year your deferral goes over. By default it then cuts the deferral to the limit, which can also lower your employer match for that year.
How is this different from the retirement calculator?
This page starts from your paycheck: salary, contribution percentage and employer match. The retirement calculator uses a fixed monthly amount and adds inflation and a withdrawal estimate.