401k Calculator

This 401k calculator projects your balance at retirement from your salary, your contribution rate, the employer match and an assumed return. Example: 10% of an $80,000 salary with a 50% match from age 35 grows to $1,581,128 by 65.

Source: IRC §402(g), §414(v), §415(c), §401(a)(17), IRS – Retirement topics: 401(k) and profit-sharing plan contribution limits (2026: $24,500 elective deferrals; catch-up $8,000, ages 60–63 $11,250; overall limit $72,000; compensation $360,000); retrieved 4 Oct 2026. Updated: 4 October 2026.

Annual salary

Your contribution

% of salary

Capped at the IRS limit for your age: $24,500 in 2026, more from age 50.

Current age

years

Retirement age

years

Current 401(k) balance

Employer match

% of your contribution

50 means your employer adds 50 cents for every dollar you put in.

Match applies up to

% of salary

Contributions above this share of salary are not matched.

Expected return

% per year

Annual salary increase

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Result

Result: Balance at 65: $1,581,128 · your contributions $380,603 · employer match $114,181 · growth $1,061,343
Projection by age: Age Salary ($) You pay in ($) Employer adds ($) Balance ($)
40 90,041 9,004 2,701 100,321
45 104,382 10,438 3,131 216,355
50 121,007 12,101 3,630 391,149
55 140,280 14,028 4,208 650,275
60 162,624 16,262 4,879 1,029,905
65 188,525 18,853 5,656 1,581,128
Working: Year 1, your contribution: 10% × $80,000 = $8,000 (2026 IRS limit at age 35: $24,500).
Employer match: 50% of your contribution, counted up to 6% of salary = $2,400.
Over 30 years: $25,000 starting balance + $380,603 from you + $114,181 from your employer + $1,061,343 investment growth at 7% a year = $1,581,128.; A projection with a constant return, before taxes and fees. The 2026 IRS limits (read on irs.gov on 4 October 2026) are applied to every year, although they are adjusted annually. Plan rules, vesting schedules and match formulas vary. Not tax or investment advice – real returns fluctuate.

Age	Salary ($)	You pay in ($)	Employer adds ($)	Balance ($)
40	90,041	9,004	2,701	100,321
45	104,382	10,438	3,131	216,355
50	121,007	12,101	3,630	391,149
55	140,280	14,028	4,208	650,275
60	162,624	16,262	4,879	1,029,905
65	188,525	18,853	5,656	1,581,128

How it is calculated

A 401(k) is an employer-sponsored retirement account: you pay in a share of each paycheck, your employer often adds a match, and the money grows tax-deferred until you withdraw it. How much you end up with depends on four things – how much goes in, how long it stays, the return, and whether you collect the full match.

2026 IRS limits used here

Your own contributions (elective deferrals): $24,500.
Catch-up from age 50: an extra $8,000; for ages 60 to 63 an extra $11,250 instead.
Employee and employer contributions together: $72,000, not counting catch-up.
Salary that may be taken into account: $360,000.

How the projection works

Each year your contribution is salary × your rate, capped at the limit for your age. The match is the employer’s percentage of your contribution, counted only up to the stated share of salary. Both are paid in monthly, the balance grows at the monthly equivalent of the annual return, and the salary rises once a year.

Worked example

Age 35, salary $80,000, 10% contribution, 50% match up to 6% of salary, $25,000 already saved, 7% return, 3% raises. Year 1: you pay in $8,000 and the employer adds 50% of $4,800 = $2,400. After 30 years the balance is $1,581,128: $25,000 starting balance, $380,603 from you, $114,181 from the employer and $1,061,343 of growth. At 40 the account stands at $100,321.

Contributing less than the matched share leaves employer money on the table: at 3% instead of 6% the match in year 1 would be $1,200 rather than $2,400.

Frequently asked questions

How much can I contribute to a 401(k) in 2026?

Up to $24,500 of your own pay. From age 50 you may add $8,000 as a catch-up contribution, and at ages 60 to 63 the catch-up is $11,250. Together with employer contributions the limit is $72,000, catch-up not included.

How does an employer match work?

A “50% match up to 6%” means the employer adds 50 cents per dollar on the first 6% of salary you contribute. On $80,000 that is 50% of $4,800 = $2,400 a year.

How much will my 401(k) be worth at 65?

With the example values – $80,000 salary, 10% contribution, 50% match, 7% return from age 35 – the projection is $1,581,128. Change the return to see how sensitive the figure is.

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

No. The $24,500 applies only to your own deferrals. The match counts towards the separate overall limit of $72,000.

Are the limits the same every year?

No. The IRS announces new limits each autumn for the following year. This calculator uses the 2026 figures for the whole projection, so long projections are conservative on that point.

Sources and legal basis

IRC §402(g), §414(v), §415(c), §401(a)(17): IRS – Retirement topics: 401(k) and profit-sharing plan contribution limits (2026: $24,500 elective deferrals; catch-up $8,000, ages 60–63 $11,250; overall limit $72,000; compensation $360,000); retrieved 4 Oct 2026
IRS – Retirement topics: catch-up contributions
IRS – 401(k) plans (overview)

As of: 4 October 2026 · Editorial policy