401k Calculator
Project 401(k) savings with employee deferrals, employer match, 2026 IRS limits, fees, inflation, and yearly growth.
401(k) balance projection
Balance, cumulative employee contributions, and cumulative employer contributions.
2026 401(k) Limits Used
The calculator uses fixed 2026 IRS limits for current-year contribution checks and deterministic future-year projections.
Employee deferral
$24,500
Age 50+ catch-up
$8,000
Age 60-63 catch-up
$11,250
Annual additions
$72,000
Compensation limit
$360,000
Roth catch-up threshold
$150,000
Source: IRS Notice 2025-67 for 2026 retirement plan limitations. Future tax years may change these numbers.
Year-by-Year Projection
Review projected salary, contributions, limits, ending balance, and today's-dollar balance for each year until retirement.
| Age | Salary | Employee | Employer | Total | Balance | Today Dollars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enter a scenario to see the projection. | ||||||
How This 401(k) Calculator Works
The estimate combines salary growth, employee deferrals, employer match, IRS limits, account fees, investment return, and inflation.
Employee deferrals
Your salary times your contribution rate is capped by the 2026 employee deferral limit, including catch-up if the projected age qualifies.
Employer match
Match is calculated from eligible compensation, the match rate, and the salary percentage eligible for matching, then capped by the annual additions limit.
Growth estimate
Contributions are modeled monthly. Net return equals expected return minus annual fees, and the today's-dollar value adjusts for inflation.
401(k) Calculator FAQ
Common questions about contribution limits, employer match, and projection assumptions.
What 401(k) limits does this calculator use?
It uses the 2026 elective deferral, catch-up, annual additions, and compensation limits published by the IRS. Future years are projected with the same 2026 limits so the projection stays deterministic.
How is employer match calculated?
The calculator models a common formula: the employer matches a percentage of your contributions up to a percentage of eligible compensation. For example, 50% match up to 6% of salary.
Does the projection include taxes?
No. It focuses on contribution limits, employer match, and account growth. Traditional versus Roth tax treatment, required distributions, and retirement tax rates are outside this estimate.
What return rate should I use?
Use a long-term estimate that matches your investment mix, then subtract fees. A higher return assumption can make the projection look better but increases uncertainty.
Why is inflation-adjusted balance shown?
The nominal balance is future dollars. The inflation-adjusted value estimates what that future balance might feel like in today's purchasing power.