401(k) Contribution Calculator
Free 401(k) contribution calculator. Find your per-paycheck contribution, remaining room to the annual limit, and catch-up eligibility for 2026 ($24,500 limit, $8,000 catch-up for 50+).
401(k) Growth Calculator
Free 401(k) growth calculator. Project your 401(k) balance over time with employer match, annual contribution increases, and compound growth to see the power of tax-deferred retirement savings.
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e.g. 50 means $0.50 per $1
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Max % of salary employer matches
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Projected 401(k) Balance
$1,140,830.55
after 25 years
Your Contribs
Growth
Starting BalanceYour ContributionsEmployer MatchInvestment Growth
Your Total Contributions⧉
$273,445.00
Sum of all values
Total Employer Match⧉
$82,033.00
Free money from employer
Total Investment Growth⧉
$735,353.00
64% of final balance
Total Contributed⧉
$355,478.00
You + employer
Year-by-Year Projection
| Year | Salary | Your Contrib | Match | Growth | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $75,000.00 | $7,500.00 | $2,250.00 | $4,183.00 | $63,933.00 |
| 2 | $77,250.00 | $7,725.00 | $2,318.00 | $5,178.00 | $79,153.00 |
| 3 | $79,568.00 | $7,957.00 | $2,387.00 | $6,265.00 | $95,762.00 |
| 5 | $84,413.00 | $8,441.00 | $2,532.00 | $8,739.00 | $133,577.00 |
| 10 | $97,858.00 | $9,786.00 | $2,936.00 | $17,069.00 | $260,905.00 |
| 15 | $113,444.00 | $11,344.00 | $3,403.00 | $29,518.00 | $451,204.00 |
| 20 | $131,513.00 | $13,151.00 | $3,945.00 | $47,868.00 | $731,690.00 |
| 25 | $152,460.00 | $15,246.00 | $4,574.00 | $74,634.00 | $1,140,831.00 |
Showing years 1-3, then every 5th year. Full annual data available for projections of 15 years or less.
Projections assume a constant rate of return and do not account for market volatility, fees, taxes on withdrawal, or contribution limit changes. Actual results will vary. Consult a financial advisor.
Planning notes, formulas, and examples
About the 401(k) Growth Calculator
The 401(k) Growth Calculator projects how your retirement account will grow over time when you factor in your regular contributions, employer matching, annual salary increases, and compound investment returns. A 401(k) is the most common employer-sponsored retirement plan in the United States, offering tax-deferred growth that can dramatically accelerate wealth building.
Even a modest employer match of 3-6% of salary represents thousands of dollars in free money each year. When combined with compound growth over 20-30+ years, the results are remarkable. This calculator shows your projected balance year-by-year, including how much comes from your contributions, employer match, and investment growth.
Enter your current balance, salary, contribution rate, employer match, expected return, and years to retirement to see your projected 401(k) growth trajectory. Seeing projected growth over decades reinforces the value of starting early and increasing contributions even modestly, as small adjustments compounded over 20 or 30 years create substantial differences in your final balance.
When This Page Helps
Understanding how your 401(k) will grow helps you make informed decisions about contribution rates, investment choices, and retirement timing. This calculator shows the cumulative power of employer matching and compound growth, motivating you to maximize contributions and take full advantage of your employer's match. Running different scenarios helps you set realistic expectations and adjust contributions to stay on target for retirement.
How to Use the Inputs
- Enter your current 401(k) balance.
- Enter your current annual salary.
- Set your contribution rate as a percentage of salary.
- Enter your employer's match rate and match limit (e.g., 50% up to 6%).
- Set your expected annual return rate and salary growth rate.
- Enter the number of years until retirement.
- Review the projected balance breakdown by source (yours, employer, growth).
Formula used
For each year:
Your Contribution = Salary × Contribution%
Employer Match = min(Salary × Match Limit%, Your Contribution) × Match Rate%
End Balance = (Start Balance + Your Contribution + Employer Match) × (1 + Return Rate)
Salary grows by Salary Growth% each yearExample Calculation
Result: Projected balance: $1,127,891
Starting with $50,000 and contributing 10% of a $75,000 salary ($7,500/year) with a 50% employer match on up to 6% ($2,250/year match), earning 7% annually with 3% salary growth over 25 years produces a projected balance of approximately $1,127,891. Your total contributions would be about $262,000, employer match roughly $79,000, and investment growth approximately $737,000.
Tips & Best Practices
- Always contribute at least enough to get your full employer match — it's an immediate 50-100% return on your money.
- Increasing your contribution rate by just 1% each year can add hundreds of thousands to your final balance.
- The 2026 401(k) contribution limit is $24,500, plus an $8,000 catch-up for those 50+.
- Starting 5 years earlier has more impact than contributing extra later due to compound growth.
- Consider rebalancing your portfolio as you approach retirement to reduce volatility.
- A 7% average annual return is roughly the historical inflation-adjusted stock market average.
The Power of Employer Matching
Employer matching is essentially free money added to your retirement account. If your employer matches 50% of contributions up to 6% of salary, not contributing at least 6% means you are leaving money on the table. For a $75,000 salary, that is up to $2,250 per year in free contributions that compound over decades.
Compound Growth Over Time
The math of 401(k) growth is driven by compound returns. Your contributions earn returns, those returns earn returns, and so on. Over 30 years, a 7% return turns $1 into $7.61. This is why starting early matters so much — even small contributions in your 20s can grow to hundreds of thousands by retirement.
Tax-Deferred Advantage
Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce your taxable income today, and all growth is tax-deferred until withdrawal. If you are in the 22% bracket, a $24,500 contribution saves you $5,390 in taxes this year while your entire balance grows without annual tax drag. That tax deferral can materially change long-run outcomes compared with a taxable account with the same returns.
Sources & Methodology
Last updated:
Methodology
This worksheet projects year-by-year balance growth using current salary, contribution rate, employer match, assumed salary growth, and assumed investment return. It is a planning model, not a guarantee of future market performance.
Sources
- Retirement topics - 401(k) and profit-sharing plan contribution limits (IRS) — Official 2026 elective-deferral and annual-additions limits for 401(k) plans.
- Retirement topics - Contributions (IRS) — Official retirement-plan contribution overview and aggregation rules.
- IR-2025-111, 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500 (IRS) — Current IRS announcement for 2026 retirement-plan contribution limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Financial advisors generally recommend contributing 10-15% of your salary to retirement accounts, including employer match. At minimum, contribute enough to capture the full employer match. If you start saving later in your career, you may need to contribute 15-20% or more to catch up.
Employers typically match a percentage of your contributions up to a limit. For example, a "50% match up to 6%" means your employer contributes $0.50 for every $1 you contribute, on the first 6% of your salary. If you earn $80,000 and contribute 6% ($4,800), your employer adds $2,400.
Historically, a diversified stock-heavy portfolio has returned about 7-10% annually before inflation. A balanced stock/bond portfolio might average 6-8%. For conservative projections, use 6-7%; for optimistic projections, 8-10%. The actual return depends on your asset allocation and market conditions.
If you can afford it, maxing out your 401(k) ($24,500 in 2026) is an excellent strategy. The tax deduction reduces your current tax bill, and tax-deferred compounding accelerates growth. However, prioritize the employer match first, then consider Roth IRA and other options before maxing the 401(k).
You have several options: leave it with your former employer (if allowed), roll it into your new employer's 401(k), roll it into an IRA (often the best option for more investment choices), or cash it out (avoid this — you'll pay income tax plus a 10% penalty if under 59½). Rolling into an IRA typically gives you the widest range of investment options at the lowest fees.
Fidelity suggests: 1× salary by 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 8× by 60, and 10× by 67. These are guidelines, not rules. Your actual target depends on your desired retirement lifestyle, other income sources, and expected retirement age.
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