401(k) Calculator

How to use this 401(k) calculator

Enter your current 401(k) balance, annual salary, employee contribution percentage, estimated employer contribution, expected salary growth, annual investment return, current age, and retirement age.

The calculator projects how your retirement savings could grow over time by combining future contributions with hypothetical investment growth.

How a 401(k) can grow over time

A 401(k) is a workplace retirement plan that allows eligible employees to contribute part of their compensation toward retirement. Depending on the plan, an employer may also make matching or other employer contributions.

Over long periods, your account balance may grow from a combination of your existing savings, new employee contributions, employer contributions, and investment returns.

401(k) retirement savings example

Suppose you are 35 years old with $50,000 already saved, earn $80,000 per year, contribute 10% of salary, receive an estimated employer contribution equal to 4% of salary, and assume a 7% annual return.

The calculator applies the salary growth assumption over the projection period, estimates contributions based on salary, and applies the investment return assumption to estimate the future account balance.

401(k) employer match calculator

Employer matching can be an important part of a workplace retirement plan. Some employers contribute a certain amount for each dollar an employee contributes, subject to the plan's matching formula and limits.

Other employers may make nonelective or fixed contributions that are not directly tied to the employee's contribution. Employer contribution formulas vary significantly between plans.

This calculator simplifies employer contributions by allowing you to enter an estimated employer contribution as a percentage of salary. Review your actual plan documents before relying on the estimate.

2026 401(k) contribution limits

For 2026, the basic employee elective deferral limit for traditional and safe harbor 401(k) plans is $24,500.

If permitted by the plan, participants age 50 or older at the end of the calendar year may generally make an additional $8,000 catch-up contribution in 2026.

Under SECURE 2.0 rules, participants who attain age 60, 61, 62, or 63 during 2026 may have a higher catch-up contribution limit of $11,250, if permitted by the plan.

These limits can change from year to year. Plan-specific rules may also affect how much an individual can contribute.

How much should I contribute to my 401(k)?

There is no single contribution percentage that is appropriate for everyone. The amount you contribute can depend on your income, expenses, retirement goals, age, employer contribution, other savings, debt, and overall financial situation.

You can use this calculator to compare different contribution rates and see how changing your savings percentage could affect the projected retirement balance.

What rate of return should I use for a 401(k) calculator?

A 401(k) does not have a guaranteed investment return. The actual return depends on the investments held in the account and their performance over time.

When creating a retirement projection, consider testing several different hypothetical return assumptions rather than relying on a single number. This can help illustrate how investment performance may affect long-term results.

Why starting a 401(k) earlier can matter

A longer investment period gives contributions and previous investment growth more time to potentially generate additional returns.

This compounding effect means that time can have a significant impact on a long-term retirement projection, even when annual contribution amounts remain similar.

Traditional 401(k) vs. Roth 401(k)

Traditional and Roth 401(k) contributions can receive different federal income tax treatment. Traditional elective deferrals are generally made on a pre-tax basis for federal income tax purposes, while designated Roth contributions are generally made after tax.

Qualified Roth distributions may receive different tax treatment from traditional 401(k) distributions. Eligibility, withdrawal rules, and individual tax circumstances can affect the outcome, so this calculator focuses on projected account growth rather than tax treatment.

What does 401(k) vesting mean?

Vesting generally refers to your ownership of amounts in a workplace retirement plan. Your own elective contributions are yours, while some employer contributions may be subject to a vesting schedule depending on the plan.

If employer contributions are subject to vesting, leaving an employer before becoming fully vested may affect how much of those employer contributions you keep.

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