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.
403(b) Calculator
Free 403(b) calculator for 2026. Project tax-sheltered annuity growth for teachers, healthcare workers, and nonprofit employees. Includes the 15-year service catch-up rule.
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Enable the 15-Year Rule below to use this
Projected 403(b) Balance at Retirement
$1,489,548.00
After 25 years at 7% return
Your Contributionsโง
$375,000.00
25.20%
Employer Contributionsโง
$75,000.00
5.00%
Investment Growthโง
$989,548.00
66.40%
Starting Balanceโง
$50,000.00
Existing savings
โ Startingโ Youโ Employerโ Growth
Growth Projection
| Age | Contribution | Employer | Growth | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | $15,000.00 | $3,000.00 | $4,760.00 | $72,760.00 |
| 42 | $15,000.00 | $3,000.00 | $6,353.00 | $97,113.00 |
| 45 | $15,000.00 | $3,000.00 | $11,834.00 | $180,887.00 |
| 50 โ | $15,000.00 | $3,000.00 | $23,843.00 | $364,462.00 |
| 55 | $15,000.00 | $3,000.00 | $40,687.00 | $621,937.00 |
| 60 โ โ | $15,000.00 | $3,000.00 | $64,312.00 | $983,057.00 |
| 65 | $15,000.00 | $3,000.00 | $97,447.00 | $1,489,548.00 |
โ
= Catch-up eligible (50+) | โ
โ
= Super catch-up (60-63)
Uses 2026 IRS limits. Returns are hypothetical and not guaranteed. The 15-year rule applies only to qualifying employers and still depends on the IRS use test. Consult your plan administrator.
Planning notes, formulas, and examples
About the 403(b) Calculator
The 403(b) Calculator projects the growth of your tax-sheltered annuity retirement account used by public schools, hospitals, churches, and nonprofit organizations. 403(b) plans share the same basic elective-deferral limits as 401(k) plans but include a unique 15-year service catch-up provision.
For 2026, you can contribute up to $24,500, plus an $8,000 age-50 catch-up or an $11,250 higher catch-up for ages 60-63 if the plan allows it. Employees with 15+ years of service at the same qualifying organization may also qualify for an additional $3,000/year, subject to the IRS lifetime and use-test limits.
This calculator models balance growth with employee contributions, employer contributions, investment returns, and the catch-up options shown on the page. It is a planning worksheet rather than an official plan record, and it is most useful for testing contribution scenarios before you confirm actual plan eligibility with your administrator.
When This Page Helps
Many 403(b) participants underuse their plan, especially the rarely discussed 15-year service catch-up. Teachers and healthcare workers often have lower starting salaries, making it important to understand how higher contribution years and catch-up windows affect the long-term balance. This page shows the compounding effect of steady saving and catch-up contributions on one timeline.
How to Use the Inputs
- Enter your current 403(b) balance and annual contribution.
- Add any employer contribution or match.
- Set your expected annual return rate.
- Enter your age and planned retirement age.
- Toggle the 15-year rule if you believe you qualify.
- Review the projected balance at retirement and the catch-up impact.
Formula used
FV = ฮฃ [(Balance + Contribution + Employer) ร (1 + r)] each year
Max Contribution (2026): $24,500 + catch-up
15-Year Rule: Additional $3,000/year if 15+ years of service, subject to the IRS lifetime and use-test limitsExample Calculation
Result: Projected balance: ~$983,000
Starting with $50,000 and contributing $15,000/year with a $3,000 employer contribution at 7% over 20 years produces roughly $983,000 before any extra catch-up amounts. Higher catch-up contributions later in the career can push the projected balance materially higher.
Tips & Best Practices
- The 15-year service catch-up can stack with the age-based catch-up, but the IRS use test still matters.
- Some 403(b) plans still offer high-fee annuity products, so compare the plan menu before increasing contributions.
- Employer contributions can make a large long-term difference even when your own deferral is below the IRS maximum.
- Pre-tax contributions reduce current taxable income, while Roth 403(b) contributions trade that deduction for future tax-free qualified withdrawals.
- Front-loading contributions during higher-income years can materially change the long-term balance because the extra dollars compound for longer.
Who Should Use a 403(b)?
Teachers, professors, school administrators, healthcare workers, clergy, and employees of many 501(c)(3) nonprofits are eligible for 403(b) plans. In many of those settings, the 403(b) is the main voluntary retirement-savings vehicle.
Maximizing the 15-Year Rule
The 15-year service catch-up is one of the most overlooked retirement-savings opportunities. A long-tenured employee may be able to add an extra $3,000/year for several years, but the real IRS limit depends on more than tenure alone. Use the page to compare scenarios, then verify the final number with the administrator.
Investment Options
Older 403(b) plans were often annuity-heavy and expensive. Modern plans increasingly offer lower-cost mutual fund lineups. The difference in annual fees can materially affect the long-term balance, so the contribution decision should be paired with a review of the available investment menu.
Sources & Methodology
Last updated:
Methodology
This worksheet compounds the current balance forward one year at a time after adding the user-entered annual employee and employer contributions. It applies the 2026 basic elective-deferral limit, the 2026 age-based catch-up limits, and the 403(b)-specific 15-year catch-up amount shown on the page.
The 15-year rule is simplified here. The calculator applies the annual $3,000 amount and lifetime $15,000 ceiling when the toggle is enabled, but it does not independently test the full IRS use-test calculation based on prior elective deferrals. Treat the output as a planning scenario and confirm plan-specific eligibility with your administrator.
Sources
- Retirement Topics 403(b) Contribution Limits (Internal Revenue Service) โ IRS 2026 elective-deferral, age catch-up, and 15-year service catch-up rules for 403(b) plans.
- Publication 571 (01/2026), Tax-Sheltered Annuity Plans (403(b) Plans) (Internal Revenue Service) โ IRS publication covering 2026 403(b) limits and plan mechanics.
- COLA increases for dollar limitations on benefits and contributions (Internal Revenue Service) โ IRS 2026 retirement-plan cost-of-living adjustments, including elective-deferral and annual-addition limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
A 403(b), also called a tax-sheltered annuity, is a retirement plan for employees of public schools, tax-exempt organizations, and certain ministers. It supports pre-tax or Roth contributions and tax-advantaged growth similar to a 401(k).
The standard employee deferral is $24,500. Age 50+ catch-up adds $8,000, and the higher ages-60-63 catch-up is $11,250 if the plan allows it. The 15-year service catch-up can add up to $3,000/year, subject to the IRS lifetime and use-test limits.
Employees with 15+ years of service at the same qualifying employer may be able to contribute an additional $3,000 per year, subject to a $15,000 lifetime ceiling and a separate IRS use-test calculation tied to prior elective deferrals.
The basic elective-deferral limits are aligned, but 403(b) plans are limited to eligible schools, nonprofits, and similar employers. The 403(b) also has the special 15-year catch-up that does not exist in a standard 401(k).
Some do, but employer contributions vary widely. Always review the actual plan document or employer benefit materials to see whether contributions are matched, fixed, or provided through a separate employer-funded plan.
Yes. A 403(b) can generally be rolled into another 403(b), a 401(k), or a traditional IRA when you leave the employer, subject to the receiving plan or account rules.
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