401k Calculator — See How Much Your Retirement Account Will Be Worth
Project your 401k balance at retirement
2026 limit: $23,500 (under 50) · $31,000 (age 50+)
How to use 401k Calculator
Free 401k calculator. Enter salary, contribution rate, and employer match to project your retirement balance with compound growth. Uses 2026 contribution limits ($23,500 / $31,000).
A 401k calculator projects how much your retirement account will be worth based on your current salary, contribution rate, employer match, expected investment return, and years until retirement. The results are often surprising — starting contributions 10 years earlier can result in double the final balance, even with lower monthly contributions. Use this calculator to find your optimal contribution rate, understand your employer match, and visualize the power of compounding over decades.
How to use this 401k Calculator
- 1Enter your current annual salary.
- 2Enter your contribution percentage. The 2026 maximum is $23,500 (under 50) or $31,000 (age 50+ with catch-up).
- 3Enter your employer match — common structures are 50% match up to 6% of salary, or 100% match up to 3%.
- 4Enter your expected annual investment return. The historical S&P 500 average is approximately 10% nominal, 7% inflation-adjusted.
- 5Enter the number of years until you plan to retire.
- 6The calculator shows projected final balance, total contributions, total employer match, and total investment growth.
How 401k growth is calculated
Your 401k balance grows through three sources: your contributions, employer match, and investment returns compounding over time. The formula uses future value of annuity (regular contributions) combined with compound growth.
| Variable | Meaning |
|---|---|
| FV | Future value (projected balance at retirement) |
| PMT | Annual contribution (your contribution + employer match) |
| r | Annual investment return rate |
| n | Number of years until retirement |
401k retirement calculator: $75,000 salary, 6% contribution, 100% match up to 3%
- 01Your annual contribution: $75,000 × 6% = $4,500.
- 02Employer match: $75,000 × 3% = $2,250 (100% match up to 3%).
- 03Total annual contribution: $6,750.
- 04At 7% annual return over 30 years: FV = $6,750 × [(1.07)^30 − 1] / 0.07
- 05FV = $6,750 × 94.46 = $637,605.
Result
Projected 401k balance at retirement: $637,605. Total contributed: $202,500. Employer contributed: $67,500. Investment growth: $367,605.
What affects your 401k retirement balance?
Investment return
The expected return drives results more than contribution amount over long periods. At 5% vs 7% over 30 years on the same contributions, the difference is hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Employer match
Always contribute at least enough to get the full employer match — it is an immediate 50–100% return on that portion of your contribution. Never leave match money on the table.
Starting age
Every year you delay costs compounding time. Contributing $6,750/year starting at 25 yields $637,605 at 55. Starting at 35 yields only $312,818 — less than half, for the same contributions.
Contribution rate
Many people start at 3–6% and never increase. Raising contributions by 1% each year when you get a raise is a simple strategy to maximize compounding over time.
Fees
Investment fees (expense ratios) silently reduce returns. A 1% annual fee on a $500,000 portfolio costs $5,000/year. Choose low-cost index funds (0.03–0.20% expense ratio).
Traditional vs Roth 401k
Traditional 401k reduces taxable income now; withdrawals taxed in retirement. Roth 401k uses after-tax money; withdrawals tax-free. Choose based on whether you expect higher taxes now or later.
Tips and things to know
- ✓The 2026 401k contribution limit is $23,500 under age 50, and $31,000 for age 50+ (including $7,500 catch-up contribution).
- ✓Always contribute at least enough to get the full employer match before putting money anywhere else.
- ✓A "step-up" strategy: increase your contribution by 1% each year you get a raise. You will rarely notice the paycheck difference.
- ✓Low-cost S&P 500 index funds have outperformed the majority of actively managed funds over 15+ year periods.
- ✓The 7% real return assumption accounts for inflation. Nominal (before inflation) average S&P 500 returns have been approximately 10% historically.
Official resources and further reading
IRS — 401(k) Plan Overview
Official IRS guidance on 401(k) contribution limits, eligibility, distributions, and employer matching rules.
Department of Labor — Retirement Savings Tool
ERISA protections and your rights as a retirement plan participant under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.
SEC — Introduction to Investing: Saving for Retirement
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's guide to retirement savings vehicles, compound growth, and investment basics.
Featured Experience
Are you on track for retirement?
Try the Retirement Planner — enter your age, current savings, monthly contributions, and target retirement age. See your projected savings vs the amount you need (4% rule), a live year-by-year chart, and ask the AI advisor whether you are on track.
Related tools you might need
Roth IRA Calculator
See how much tax-free wealth your Roth IRA will build
FIRE Calculator
Calculate your FIRE number and years to financial independence
Compound Interest Calculator
Calculate compound interest and investment growth
Inflation Calculator
See how inflation erodes purchasing power over time
Frequently asked questions
$23,500 for employees under 50. $31,000 for age 50+ (includes $7,500 catch-up contribution). Employer match does not count toward this limit.