401(k) Calculator
Estimate your 401(k) balance at retirement from your salary, contributions and employer match, with the IRS limits and catch-up contributions built in.
Configure Your 401(k)
Results
10% of $75,000 + 50% match up to 6% · 7% a year
$2,244,190
estimated 401(k) balance at 65, before tax
You Put In
$453,466
Employer Match
$136,040
Investment Growth
$1,629,685
Income at 4%
$7,481/mo
401(k) Balance Over Time
Show the chart data as a table
| Period | Contributions | Balance |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $34,750 | $36,809 |
| Year 2 | $44,793 | $49,746 |
| Year 3 | $55,136 | $63,900 |
| Year 4 | $65,790 | $79,365 |
| Year 5 | $76,764 | $96,242 |
| Year 6 | $88,067 | $114,640 |
| Year 7 | $99,709 | $134,676 |
| Year 8 | $111,700 | $156,474 |
| Year 9 | $124,051 | $180,170 |
| Year 10 | $136,773 | $205,907 |
| Year 11 | $149,876 | $233,839 |
| Year 12 | $163,372 | $264,131 |
| Year 13 | $177,273 | $296,962 |
| Year 14 | $191,592 | $332,521 |
| Year 15 | $206,339 | $371,013 |
| Year 16 | $221,530 | $412,656 |
| Year 17 | $237,175 | $457,683 |
| Year 18 | $253,291 | $506,347 |
| Year 19 | $269,889 | $558,916 |
| Year 20 | $286,986 | $615,679 |
| Year 21 | $304,596 | $676,944 |
| Year 22 | $322,734 | $743,043 |
| Year 23 | $341,416 | $814,330 |
| Year 24 | $360,658 | $891,185 |
| Year 25 | $380,478 | $974,016 |
| Year 26 | $400,892 | $1,063,258 |
| Year 27 | $421,919 | $1,159,380 |
| Year 28 | $443,576 | $1,262,880 |
| Year 29 | $465,884 | $1,374,296 |
| Year 30 | $488,860 | $1,494,201 |
| Year 31 | $512,526 | $1,623,211 |
| Year 32 | $536,902 | $1,761,984 |
| Year 33 | $562,009 | $1,911,226 |
| Year 34 | $587,869 | $2,071,692 |
| Year 35 | $614,505 | $2,244,190 |
2026 401(k) contribution limits
The most you can contribute from your pay, including the catch-up for your age. Employer contributions are on top.
| Age in 2026 | Your limit |
|---|---|
| Under 50 | $24,500 |
| 50 to 59, and 64 or older | $32,500 |
| 60 to 63 | $35,750 |
Source: IRS news release IR-2025-111.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much will my 401(k) be worth when I retire?
It depends on what you and your employer put in, the returns and the time. In the calculator's starting example, a 30-year-old earning $75,000 (with 3% raises) who contributes 10% of pay, gets a 50% match on up to 6%, starts with $25,000 and earns 7% a year would have about $2,244,190 at 65 ($797,548 in today's dollars at 3% inflation), before tax: $453,466 from them, $136,040 from the employer and the rest from growth.
What is the 401(k) contribution limit for 2026?
For 2026, you can contribute up to $24,500 of your pay. From age 50 you can add an $8,000 catch-up ($32,500 in total), and at ages 60 to 63 a larger $11,250 catch-up ($35,750 in total). Employer contributions don't count toward these limits. The IRS raises them most years with inflation, and the calculator assumes they keep rising at your inflation rate.
How does an employer match work?
A common match is 50% of what you contribute, on up to 6% of your pay. On a $75,000 salary, contributing at least 6% ($4,500) brings in $2,250 a year from your employer; contributing less gets you less. Some plans match 100%, and many make you wait (vest) before the match is fully yours.
How much should I contribute to my 401(k)?
At least enough to get the full employer match, since that is an instant return on your money. Many planners suggest saving around 15% of pay for retirement in total, including the match. If you can, raise your contribution by a percent each time you get a raise.
Traditional or Roth 401(k)?
Traditional contributions lower your taxable income now, and you pay income tax when you withdraw. Roth contributions are taxed now, and qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free. If you expect a higher tax rate in retirement than today, Roth tends to come out ahead; if lower, traditional does. Both share the same contribution limit, and the balance this calculator shows works for either one: before tax for traditional, after tax for Roth.
What does this calculator leave out?
Taxes on withdrawals, plan fees, vesting schedules, required minimum distributions, and the 10% penalty that usually applies to withdrawals before age 59½. Returns are assumed steady; real markets go up and down. The monthly income figure uses the 4% rule as a rough guide.
See our Methodology page for how the figures are calculated, or all calculators. For education only, not investment, tax or legal advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.