Free 401(k) Calculator with Employer Match
See what your 401(k) could grow to by retirement. Factor in your employer match, annual raises, and the 2026 IRS contribution limits, and find out if you are leaving free match money on the table.
Estimated balance at retirement
| Age | Salary | You | Employer | Balance |
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How to use the 401(k) calculator
- Enter your age, target retirement age, current balance and salary.
- Enter the percentage of pay you contribute, then your employer's match formula. "50% up to 6%" means the employer adds 50 cents per dollar on the first 6% of salary you contribute.
- Set an expected salary growth rate and investment return. 6–7% is a common long-run assumption for a stock-heavy portfolio before inflation.
- Review the projection and the year-by-year table. If the tip says you are missing match dollars, raising your contribution is usually the first move.
Getting the most from your 401(k)
The employer match is the best return you will ever get: a 50% match is an instant 50% gain on those dollars before any market growth. Contributing at least enough to capture the full match should come before almost any other financial goal except a small emergency cushion and high-interest debt.
For 2026 the IRS lets employees contribute up to $24,500 to a 401(k). Savers aged 50 and over can add an $8,000 catch-up contribution, and under SECURE 2.0 those aged 60 through 63 get a larger $11,250 catch-up if the plan allows it. This calculator applies those limits to your own contributions each year (it holds them at 2026 levels, so long projections are slightly conservative because the limits rise with inflation). Starting in 2026, catch-up contributions for people who earned more than $150,000 in FICA wages the prior year must go into a Roth account.
Small changes have outsized effects over decades. Raising your contribution by just 1% a year, often available as an automatic escalation feature, can add six figures to a long-term balance. Keep fees in mind too: a fund charging 1% a year instead of 0.1% can quietly consume a large share of your growth over 30 years.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 401(k) limit for 2026?
$24,500 in employee contributions, plus an $8,000 catch-up at age 50+, or $11,250 for ages 60–63 in plans that offer it. Employer contributions are on top of that, up to a combined limit of $72,000.
Does this account for taxes?
No. It shows the account balance. Traditional 401(k) withdrawals are taxed as income in retirement; Roth 401(k) withdrawals are tax-free if the rules are met.
Is the result in today's dollars?
No, it is in future (nominal) dollars. To think in today's dollars, lower the return by your expected inflation rate (for example, use 4% instead of 7%).
What return should I assume?
Historical stock market returns have averaged around 10% a year before inflation, but with large swings. Many planners use 6–7% to stay conservative, and lower values as you get closer to retirement.