401(k) Calculator
Estimate your 401(k) balance at retirement from your contributions, employer match, expected return and years. Compounds monthly — an estimate for planning.
Examples
Year-by-year projection
Export options
Project your 401(k)
Enter your age, balance, salary, contribution percentage and plan match rule. The versioned IRS 2026 ruleset applies the age-specific employee limit, the $72,000 employee + employer limit and the $360,000 eligible-compensation cap before any money enters the projection.
Growth uses a nominal annual return compounded monthly with month-end contributions. The stacked bars and yearly table separate your money, employer match and investment growth; CSV, print and result-card exports stay in your browser.
FAQ
How does the employer match work?
A typical US plan matches a percentage of what you put in, up to a cap expressed as a percentage of salary — for example “50% of contributions up to 6% of salary”. The calculator keeps that hierarchy: match rate × min(your contribution %, plan cap %) × eligible pay. Under the IRS 2026 ruleset, eligible pay is capped at $360,000, and projected employee + employer deposits are capped at $72,000.
What are the 401(k) contribution limits for 2026?
IRS 2026 (IRS Notice 2025-67, checked July 21, 2026): the employee deferral limit is $24,500 under age 50; $32,500 at ages 50–59; $35,750 at ages 60–63; and $32,500 at age 64 and older, if the plan permits catch-up contributions. Annual employee + employer additions are capped at $72,000, and compensation counted for contributions is capped at $360,000. The projection excludes amounts above the applicable limits.
When must a catch-up contribution be Roth?
If your 2025 FICA wages from the employer sponsoring the plan exceeded $150,000, 2026 catch-up contributions generally must be Roth. This calculator only displays that reminder; it does not model Roth or traditional tax treatment.
What does the "+2% more" insight mean?
It shows how much larger your retirement balance would be if you raised your own contribution by just 2 percentage points of salary — a quick way to see the long-term payoff of saving a little more.
Is the growth guaranteed?
No. The return is a nominal annual projection rate compounded monthly, with contributions added at month end. Real returns vary and are not guaranteed. Salary is assumed constant; the estimate excludes fees, vesting, payroll timing and annual true-up rules.
Does it include taxes?
No. A traditional 401(k) grows tax-deferred and withdrawals in retirement are taxed as income; this estimate ignores taxes and fees.
Can I download or print the projection?
Yes. “Download CSV” saves the year-by-year projection as a spreadsheet file generated entirely in your browser, “Print” produces a clean document with the chart and full table, and “Share as image” creates a summary card.
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