401(k) Calculator
Project 401(k) growth with your contribution, employer match, match cap, and annual return.
How to Use
- Enter your annual salary in dollars (gross, before taxes).
- Enter your contribution as a percentage of salary (try at least the level needed to capture the full employer match).
- Enter your employer match details: match percentage of your contribution and the cap (% of salary above which the match stops).
- Enter your expected annual return — long-term U.S. equity historical average is around 7% real (after inflation).
- Enter years to retirement.
- Read the projected balance, total your contributions, total employer match, and total growth.
Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the 401(k) contribution limit?
For 2026 (post-SECURE 2.0 inflation adjustments), the elective-deferral limit is $23,500 for under-50s. Catch-up contributions add $7,500 for those 50+, with an enhanced catch-up of $11,250 for those 60–63 (a SECURE 2.0 provision). Total annual limit including employer contributions is much higher (around $70,000+). Always confirm current-year limits with the IRS or your plan administrator.
Should I contribute to traditional or Roth 401(k)?
Traditional reduces taxable income now; you pay taxes when you withdraw in retirement. Roth uses after-tax dollars now; withdrawals are tax-free in retirement. Rule of thumb: Traditional if you expect a lower tax bracket in retirement; Roth if you expect equal or higher. Many people split contributions between the two as a hedge against future tax-rate uncertainty.
What's an employer match and why does it matter so much?
Many employers match a percentage of your contributions up to a cap. A common formula is '50% of contributions up to 6% of salary' — meaning if you contribute 6%, the company adds 3%. Always contribute at least enough to capture the full match. It's the highest guaranteed return you'll ever earn — not contributing to the match is leaving compensation on the table.
When does the match vest?
Vesting is when the matched money becomes legally yours. Some employers vest immediately; others use a vesting schedule (e.g., 20% per year over 5 years). If you leave before fully vested, you forfeit the unvested portion. Always check your plan's vesting schedule when considering job changes.
Are these projected balances pre-tax or post-tax?
Pre-tax for traditional 401(k) — you'll owe income tax on withdrawals. After-tax for Roth — withdrawals are tax-free if taken after age 59½ and the account is at least 5 years old. The calculator shows nominal balances; for inflation-adjusted (real) values, subtract your expected inflation rate from the return rate.
What if I leave my job?
You have four options: leave the money in the old plan (allowed if balance is over a threshold), roll it to your new employer's 401(k), roll it to a personal IRA (most flexibility), or cash it out (incurs taxes plus a 10% early-withdrawal penalty if under 59½ — generally a bad idea). Direct trustee-to-trustee rollover avoids taxes.
Common Use Cases
Setting your contribution rate
Test 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% contribution levels to see retirement-balance differences after 30 years.
Capturing the full employer match
If your employer matches 50% up to 6%, find the contribution that gets you the full match — usually 6% — and never go below it.
Approaching the contribution limit
If you can afford to max out the $23,500 limit, see how that compares to a 10–15% contribution rate.
Planning for early retirement
Project balance growth over a shorter horizon (15–20 years) to see if FIRE-style retirement is achievable at current contributions.
Catch-up contributions
For workers 50+, see the impact of adding $7,500 catch-up contributions on top of regular limits.
Annual benefits review
Re-run during open enrollment with updated salary and match terms to confirm your contribution rate is still optimal.
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