401(k) Savings Calculator

Enter your age, salary and contribution. In the default example your estimated 401(k) balance at retirement is $1,259,934.98, including $114,181.00 from employer matching.

How the 401(k) savings calculator works

This calculator projects a 401(k) balance year by year until your retirement age. Each year your salary grows by the raise you enter, you contribute a percentage, your employer adds a match, and the whole balance earns the expected return. Contributions are added at the end of each year, which is a simple, slightly cautious assumption.

The employer match is entered as a rate and a cap. For example, a 50 percent match up to 6 percent of salary means your employer adds 50 cents for each dollar you contribute, on contributions up to 6 percent of your pay.

The formulas

Match = salary x match rate x min(your %, match cap %)

Balance(year) = balance x (1 + return) + your contribution + match

Example: This is an illustration, not a forecast. Starting at age 35 with $50,000, an $80,000 salary growing 3 percent a year, an 8 percent contribution, a 50 percent match up to 6 percent and a 6 percent return, the estimated balance at 65 is $1,259,934.98. Your own contributions total $304,482.66, the employer match adds $114,181.00 and investment growth accounts for $791,271.32. First-year contributions from you are $6,400.00.

2026 IRS contribution limit

For 2026 the IRS set the 401(k) employee elective deferral limit at $24,500, up from $23,500 in 2025. The same release lists a catch-up limit of $8,000 for people 50 and older, and $11,250 for ages 60 to 63. The IRS also lists an overall limit on combined employee and employer contributions, described on its 401(k) contribution limits page. The calculator checks only your first-year deferral against the $24,500 figure and does not add catch-up amounts. The limit is adjusted from year to year, so this tool does not project future limits.

What the estimate ignores

Returns are not guaranteed and real markets move up and down. Try a few return rates.
Inflation, fees, taxes on withdrawals and vesting schedules for the match are not included. The result is in future dollars.
Plans differ in match formulas, so check your plan documents.

To see how steady growth compounds, try the compound interest calculator. This tool is not investment or tax advice.

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Frequently asked questions

How much will my 401(k) be worth at retirement?

It depends on contributions, match, time and returns. The default example reaches $1,259,934.98 at age 65, which is an illustration and not a prediction.

What is the 2026 401(k) contribution limit?

The IRS set the employee elective deferral limit at $24,500 for 2026, with an $8,000 catch-up for ages 50 and older.

How does the employer match work?

Employers set their own formula. A common form is a percentage of your contribution up to a percent of salary. Enter your plan terms in the match fields.

What return should I assume?

No return is guaranteed. Test several rates, such as a lower and a higher case, to see the range of outcomes.

Does the result account for inflation?

No. The balance is in future dollars, so it will buy less than the same amount does today.

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