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401(k) Calculator

Built & reviewed by the FinanceCalco editorial teamHow we test calculatorsUpdated June 2026

Project your 401(k) balance at retirement, including your employer match and decades of investment growth. Adjust your salary, contribution rate, match, and expected return — the figures update instantly, and you can export or share them.

401(k) at retirement

$1,175,676.70

Your contributions
$167,000.00
Employer match
$73,500.00
Investment growth
$935,176.70
Annual contribution
$6,300.00
$
%
%
cents per $1, e.g. 50%
%
% of salary
$
%

Balance growth over time

$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M0y6y12y18y23y29y35y
Your contributionsEmployer matchGrowth
$1.2MAt retirement
Your contributions$167,000.00Employer match$73,500.00Growth$935,176.70
How this is calculatedmethodology

Your employer adds its match on the portion of salary you contribute, up to the match-limit percentage — contribute less than the limit and you only get the match on what you put in. Your balance and all contributions then compound monthly at your expected return until retirement.

employerAnnual = salary × min(contrib, limit) × match
FV = P · (1 + r)ⁿ + m · ((1 + r)ⁿ − 1) ÷ r
P
Your current 401(k) balance.
m
Combined monthly contribution = (your annual + employer annual) ÷ 12.
r
Monthly return = expected annual return ÷ 12.
n
Number of months = years to retirement × 12.
  • Constant salary & return
  • Match capped at limit
  • Monthly compounding

How to use the 401(k) calculator

  1. Enter your salary, your contribution percentage, and your employer’s match terms.
  2. Add your current balance, age, retirement age, and expected return.
  3. See your projected balance and how much of it is free employer-match money.

TipAt minimum, contribute enough to get the full employer match — it’s an immediate return on your money.

How to use the 401(k) calculator

Enter your annual salary and the percentage of it you contribute. Set your employer match — the cents added per dollar you contribute — and the match limit, the share of salary the match applies to. Add your current balance, your age and retirement age, and an expected annual return. The large readout shows your projected balance at retirement, and the cells below split it into your own contributions, the employer match, and investment growth.

Watch how raising your contribution changes both the match you capture and the final balance. Once your contribution reaches the match limit you collect the full match; going higher still grows your balance but no longer adds employer money. Use the export buttons to download a summary as Excel or CSV, print it to PDF, or copy a link that reopens the calculator with your exact numbers.

How it works and what the number means

Each year you contribute a fixed percentage of salary, and your employer adds its match on the portion up to the limit. Those combined contributions are invested and compound monthly at your expected return, alongside your starting balance. The projected balance is the future value of your current savings plus every future contribution, grown to your retirement age.

The biggest levers are time and contribution rate. Starting earlier gives compounding more years to work, and even small increases in how much you save can change the outcome dramatically over a career. The expected return matters too, but it is the one input you cannot control — so it is worth trying a range of returns to see how sensitive your projection is.

Estimates for education only — not financial advice. Actual results depend on market returns, salary changes, plan rules, vesting, and fees.

Frequently asked questions

How does employer matching work?

Many employers add money to your 401(k) based on what you contribute, up to a limit. A typical "50% match up to 6% of salary" means your employer adds 50 cents for every dollar you put in, but only on the first 6% of your pay. If you contribute less than that limit, you only get the match on what you actually contribute — so the match scales with your own contribution until you hit the cap.

How much should I contribute?

At a minimum, contribute enough to capture your full employer match — anything less leaves free money on the table. Beyond that, a common target is 10–15% of your salary including the match. The earlier you start, the more compounding does the heavy lifting; raising your contribution by even one or two percentage points can add significantly to your balance at retirement.

Is the match really free money?

Yes — the employer match is additional compensation you only receive if you contribute. It is an immediate, guaranteed return on your contribution (a 50% match is an instant 50% gain before any investment growth). The main catch is vesting: some employers require you to stay a certain number of years before the matched funds are fully yours.

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