How to use this 401(k) calculator
- Your age and retirement age: how many years your money has to grow.
- Salary and yearly raise: your contributions grow as your pay does.
- Your contribution: the percentage of pay you put in.
- Employer match: for example, "50% of contributions up to 6% of pay" means a match rate of 50% on contributions up to 6%.
- Current balance and expected return: what you have saved and the yearly return you want to assume.
You'll see your projected balance at retirement and how much of it came from you, your employer and investment growth. If your planned contribution is above the IRS limit, the calculator warns you and caps the projection at the limit. Open the year-by-year table to see every year.
How the projection works
Worked example
The example shows why starting early matters: most of the final balance is growth on money contributed decades earlier. If the same person contributed 10% instead of 6%, the projection rises to about $1,952,223. The employer match stays the same, because the match only applies to the first 6% of pay.
2026 contribution limits
The IRS sets the most you can contribute to a 401(k) each year:
| Age during 2026 | Employee limit |
|---|---|
| Under 50 | $24,500 |
| 50 to 59, or 64 and over | $24,500 + $8,000 catch-up = $32,500 |
| 60 to 63 | $24,500 + $11,250 catch-up = $35,750 |
These limits apply to your own contributions; employer contributions are counted separately under a higher overall limit. The IRS usually announces next year's limits each fall, so the calculator keeps today's limit for every future year rather than guessing at increases.
Ways to grow your 401(k)
- Get the full match. Contribute at least up to your employer's match limit.
- Increase your rate with raises. Some plans offer automatic yearly increases; adding 1% each year is easier than a big jump.
- Watch fees. Lower-cost funds leave more of the return in your account over decades.
- Use catch-up contributions from age 50 if you can.
- Keep it invested when you change jobs. Rolling an old 401(k) into a new plan or an IRA avoids cashing out early.
401(k) or IRA?
A 401(k) is offered through your employer and has a much higher contribution limit than an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). An IRA is opened on your own, often with a wider choice of investments. Many people use both: they contribute enough to the 401(k) to get the full employer match, then consider an IRA, then go back to the 401(k) for any further savings. Income limits and rules apply to some IRA contributions, so check the IRS guidance for your situation.
Vesting: when the match is really yours
Your own contributions are always yours. Employer contributions may follow a vesting schedule, which means you earn the right to keep them over a number of years of service. If you leave before you're fully vested, you may lose some of the match. Your plan's summary plan description explains its schedule, and it's worth checking before you change jobs.
Checking your progress each year
Your 401(k) statement shows your balance, contributions and investment choices. Once a year, compare it with this calculator: update your age, salary and balance, and see whether you're still on track for the retirement age you want. A raise is a good moment to increase your contribution percentage, because you won't feel the difference in your paycheck as much.
If your projected balance looks low, the main levers are contributing more, retiring a little later or reviewing your investment choices and fees.
What this calculator doesn't include
The projection is in future dollars and doesn't adjust for inflation; use our inflation calculator to see what a future balance might buy in today's money. It doesn't include taxes on withdrawals, plan fees, vesting schedules, investment losses or changes to the IRS limits. Returns are assumed to be steady every year, which real markets are not. Use the result as a planning estimate and review it each year.