Estimate your 401(k) balance at retirement. Enter your current age, salary, contribution percentage, and employer match — see projected balance, total contributions vs investment growth, and whether you're hitting IRS limits. 2026 IRS limits applied automatically ($24,500 employee, +$8k catch-up at 50, +$11,250 super catch-up at 60-63).
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e.g. "50% match up to 6%" → enter 50 and 6.
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S&P 500 historical ~10%; conservative ~5-7%.
Projected balance at retirement
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Total contributed
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Investment growth
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Years to retirement
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Annual contribution breakdown
Your contribution
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Employer match
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Combined annual
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Balance trajectory
ContributionsGrowth
How the 401(k) match works
Most employer 401(k) plans use a "X% match up to Y% of salary" formula. The employer contributes X cents per dollar you contribute, but only up to Y% of your salary. The math:
At a $100k salary with "50% match up to 6%", contributing the full 6% gets you $3,000 in employer money. Contributing more than 6% doesn't get more match — it just maxes out your employer benefit and your additional dollars go in alone. Always contribute at least enough to get the full match. Anything less is leaving compensation on the table.
2026 limits at a glance
Bucket
Limit
Employee deferral (under 50)
$24,500
Employee deferral with age 50+ catch-up
$32,500
Employee deferral with age 60-63 super catch-up
$35,750
Combined employee + employer (annual additions)
$72,000
SECURE 2.0 Roth catch-up mandate (effective 2026)
Starting in 2026, workers who earned more than $150,000 in the prior year from their employer must make any catch-up contributions on a Roth basis in employer-sponsored plans (401(k), 403(b), 457(b)). The contribution still counts toward the catch-up limit, but it loses the immediate pre-tax deduction. Workers at or below $150k prior-year income can choose pre-tax or Roth for catch-up as before. This rule does not affect IRAs.
Employee deferral: $24,500. Age 50+ catch-up: +$8,000 (total $32,500). Age 60-63 super catch-up (SECURE 2.0): +$11,250 (total $35,750). Combined employee + employer cap: $72,000.
How does employer match math work?
Most employers use a "% match up to Y% of salary" formula. Example: "50% match up to 6%" means the employer contributes 50¢ for every $1 you put in, capped at 6% of your salary. At $100k salary, that's up to $3,000/year in free money. "100% match up to 4%" means dollar-for-dollar up to 4% = $4,000 at $100k. Always contribute at least enough to get the full match — it's an instant 50-100% return.
Should I contribute pre-tax or Roth 401(k)?
Pre-tax reduces this year's taxable income (good if you expect to be in a lower tax bracket in retirement). Roth 401(k) contributions are after-tax but withdrawals are tax-free (good if you expect higher future taxes). Common heuristic: young + earning less → Roth; high-earner near retirement → pre-tax. SECURE 2.0 also requires catch-up contributions to be Roth for workers earning >$150k in the prior year, starting 2026.
What's a realistic expected return?
S&P 500 historical average is ~10% nominal, ~7% after inflation. Many planners use 6-7% for conservative projections. Bond-heavy portfolios (e.g. target-date funds for someone near retirement) might assume 4-5%. The default 7% used here is realistic for a typical 80/20 stock/bond allocation over a long horizon.
When can I withdraw without penalty?
Age 59½ is the standard. Earlier withdrawals trigger a 10% penalty plus regular income tax. Exceptions: substantially equal periodic payments (72(t)), separation from service at 55+ (rule of 55), permanent disability, first-time home purchase (up to $10k from IRA only, not 401k), qualified educational expenses.
What if I leave my job?
Four options: (1) leave money in the old 401(k) if balance ≥ $7,000, (2) roll over to your new employer's 401(k), (3) roll over to a Traditional IRA — wider investment choices, (4) cash out — taxable + 10% penalty if under 59½, almost always a bad move. Rollovers are not taxable events as long as done correctly (direct trustee-to-trustee transfer or 60-day rollover).
Is this calculator accurate?
It uses 2026 IRS contribution limits (Notice 2025-67), compound growth math at your specified rate, and the employer match formula you specify. Limitations: it assumes constant salary (no raises), constant contribution percentage, no plan-specific quirks (Roth in-plan conversions, after-tax non-Roth, mega backdoor). For retirement-readiness analysis with all those factors, use a full financial planning tool or a CFP.