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401(k) Calculator

Project your 401(k) balance at retirement from your salary, contribution rate and employer match, with the 2026 IRS limits and age-based catch-up contributions applied automatically.

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How to use the 401(k) calculator

  1. Enter your annual salary before tax.
  2. Enter your contribution as a percentage of pay.
  3. Enter the employer match: the share of your contribution your employer adds, and the percentage of pay it matches up to. "50% up to 6%" is the most common formula.
  4. Enter your age at the end of 2026 and the age you plan to retire. Your age decides your catch-up limit each year.
  5. Enter your current 401(k) balance, your expected salary increase each year, and an annual return.
  6. Read your balance at retirement, how much came from you and your employer, and the year-by-year table.

2026 401(k) limits used

Limit (2026) Amount
Employee deferral limit (402(g)) $24,500
Catch-up contribution, age 50 and over $8,000
Catch-up contribution, ages 60 to 63 (instead of $8,000) $11,250
Total employee + employer additions (415(c)), before catch-up $72,000
Pay that can count toward contributions (401(a)(17)) $360,000

Figures are from IRS Notice 2025-67 and the IRS announcement of the 2026 limits. So at 50 to 59 you can defer up to $32,500, at 60 to 63 up to $35,750, and at 64 and older $32,500 again. From 2026, if your Social Security wages from this employer were over $150,000 in 2025, your catch-up contributions must go in as Roth (after-tax) money.

How the balance is calculated

Your contribution you = min(salary × your %, deferral limit for your age) Employer match match = match % × min(you, match cap % × salary) Year-end balance B = B × (1 + r) + (you + match) ÷ 12 × r ÷ i Monthly rate i = (1 + r)^(1/12) − 1

Contributions go in with each monthly paycheck, and the monthly rate is chosen so that a full year earns exactly the annual return r. Your salary grows by the raise you enter each year, so your contribution and match grow too until they reach a limit. The match is worked out on what you actually contribute, never more than the 415(c) total. The limits stay at their 2026 amounts for every future year. The IRS raises them with inflation most years, so a high saver may be able to put in more than shown.

Worked example

The defaults are a $70,000 salary, 10% contribution, a match of 50% up to 6%, age 35 retiring at 65, a $25,000 balance, 3% raises and a 7% return.

  • 2026 contribution: $70,000 × 10% = $7,000, or $583.33 a month, well under the $24,500 limit
  • Match: 6% of $70,000 is $4,200, and half of that is $2,100
  • Over 30 years your raises lift your contributions to a total of $333,028 and the match to $99,908
  • Growth on everything adds $949,339
  • Balance at 65: $25,000 + $333,028 + $99,908 + $949,339 = $1,407,275

Without the match the balance would be $1,126,436, so the employer's $99,908 of contributions is worth about $280,839 by retirement. If you contribute 50% of pay instead, the calculator caps you at $24,500 a year, plus catch-ups from age 50, giving $3,082,110.

Getting the most from a 401(k)

Contribute at least enough to collect the full match: it is an instant return on your money. Raise your rate by one percentage point each time you get a raise and you will barely notice the difference in your paycheck. Check your plan's vesting schedule, because unvested employer money can be lost if you leave early. See how a pre-tax contribution changes your paycheck with the take-home paycheck calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 401(k) limit for 2026?

You can defer up to $24,500 of your pay in 2026. At age 50 and over you can add an $8,000 catch-up, and in the years you turn 60, 61, 62 or 63 the catch-up is $11,250 instead. Employer contributions are on top, within a $72,000 total for the year.

Does the employer match count toward my $24,500 limit?

No. The $24,500 limit applies only to your own deferrals, pre-tax and Roth combined. Matching and profit-sharing contributions count toward the separate $72,000 total limit for all additions to your account.

Is a 7% return realistic?

It is a common long-term planning figure for a portfolio that holds mostly stock funds, but returns vary widely from year to year and are not guaranteed. Try 5% or 6% to see a more cautious result, and remember that fund fees reduce your return.

Should I choose traditional or Roth 401(k) contributions?

Traditional contributions cut your taxable income now and are taxed when you withdraw them; Roth contributions are taxed now and come out tax-free later. If you expect a lower tax rate in retirement, traditional usually wins; if higher, Roth does. The IRA calculator compares the two side by side.

Related calculators

  • Retirement Calculator — See what your savings grow to by retirement, how long they last, and how much more to save each month.
  • Roth IRA Calculator — Project your tax-free Roth IRA balance with the 2026 contribution limits and compare it with a taxable account.
  • IRA Calculator — Traditional IRA, Roth IRA or taxable account? Compare the after-tax value of each from the same pre-tax savings.
  • Take-Home Paycheck Calculator — Your net pay per paycheck after 2026 federal tax, Social Security, Medicare, state tax and 401(k) deductions.

Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial, tax or legal advice. See our disclaimer.