401(k) Calculator
See what your 401(k) or IRA could grow to by retirement, employer match included.
Project your 401(k) balance at retirement from your salary, contribution rate, employer match, raises and expected return, with the result in today's dollars and a year-by-year breakdown. Works for Roth and traditional IRAs too.
How the projection works
Each year, the calculator adds your contribution (a percentage of your salary) and your employer's match, spreading both evenly across 12 monthly paychecks. The balance grows monthly at the annual return you entered, and your salary rises by your raise percentage each year, so your contributions grow with it.
The employer match follows the most common US formula: the employer contributes a set percentage of your contribution, but only on contributions up to a cap expressed as a percentage of salary. With "50% up to 6%", contributing 6% of your pay earns a 3% match; contributing 10% still earns only 3%.
Worked example
A 30-year-old earning $75,000 with $25,000 already saved contributes 6% of pay, gets a 50% match up to 6%, receives 2% raises, and earns 7% a year until 65:
- Their own contributions add up to about $224,975.
- The employer match adds about $112,488 — money they would not get by contributing less than 6%.
- Investment growth adds about $1,112,927.
- The balance at 65 comes to about $1,475,390, which is roughly $621,687 in today's dollars at 2.5% inflation.
Most of the final balance is growth, not contributions. That is why starting early matters so much: the first dollars invested have the most years to compound.
2026 contribution limits
| Account | 2026 limit | Extra if 50+ |
|---|---|---|
| 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans | $24,500 | $8,000 (ages 60–63: $11,250) |
| Traditional or Roth IRA | $7,500 | $1,100 |
Limits come from the IRS and usually rise each year. Employer matching contributions don't count toward your personal 401(k) limit.
Traditional vs. Roth
A traditional 401(k) or IRA uses pre-tax money, so you pay income tax when you withdraw in retirement. A Roth account uses money you've already paid tax on, and qualified withdrawals are tax-free. The growth math is identical, so this calculator shows the account balance either way; the difference is how much of it you keep after tax.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I contribute to a 401(k) in 2026?
The IRS limit for employee contributions in 2026 is $24,500. If you are 50 or older you can add an $8,000 catch-up contribution, and people aged 60 to 63 can add $11,250 instead. Employer matching contributions do not count toward the $24,500 limit.
How does an employer match work?
A common formula is "50% of what you contribute, up to 6% of your salary." If you earn $75,000 and contribute 6% ($4,500), your employer adds $2,250. Contributing less than the match limit leaves free money on the table.
Can I use this for a Roth IRA?
Yes. Set the employer match to 0 and enter your yearly IRA contribution as a percentage of your salary. The 2026 IRA limit is $7,500, or $8,600 if you are 50 or older. The growth math is the same; the difference is when you pay tax.
What return should I assume?
There is no guaranteed rate, so try a few values — for example 5%, 7% and 9% — to see a cautious, middle and optimistic outcome. A portfolio with more bonds usually grows more slowly than one mostly in stocks, and real returns vary from year to year.
What does "in today's dollars" mean?
Prices rise over time, so a dollar in 35 years will buy less than a dollar today. The today's-dollars figure divides your future balance by the inflation you entered, showing roughly what it would be worth in current purchasing power.
Projections are estimates based on a constant return and are not investment advice. Real returns vary year to year.