401(k) Retirement Calculator
Project your 401(k) balance at retirement using your salary, contribution rate, employer match, and expected return.
What is 401(k) Retirement Calculator?
Use this 401(k) calculator to project your retirement balance using your current salary, contribution rate, employer match formula, expected investment return, and time horizon.
A common employer match is "50% of the first 6% you contribute" — meaning if you put in 6% of your salary, your employer kicks in another 3%. Contributing less than the match cap leaves money on the table: it is as close to free money as you will ever see in finance.
Formula
Your balance grows from two sources each year:
- Your contribution = salary × your %
- Employer match = salary × min(your %, match cap) × match rate
The starting balance compounds at the expected return for the full period, and the annual contributions (spread monthly) compound as an annuity on top.
Worked example
Starting balance $25,000, salary $75,000, you contribute 10%, employer matches 50% up to 6% of salary, 7% return, 30 years to go:
- Your annual = $7,500
- Employer = 6% × 50% × $75,000 = $2,250
- Total annual = $9,750
- Balance at retirement ≈ $1.16 million (with about $380k of your own money plus $68k from your employer, the rest is growth).
How to use this calculator
- Enter your current 401(k) balance (today).
- Enter your salary and the percent of salary you contribute.
- Enter your employer match: the percentage the employer gives you ("50%"), and the cap (the max percent of your salary they match against, commonly 3–6%).
- Enter your expected annual return. 7% is a common planning number for stock-heavy portfolios.
- Enter years until retirement (target age minus current age).
Frequently asked questions
What is a typical employer match?
The most common formula in the U.S. is "50% of the first 6% you contribute" (Safe Harbor match). Some employers do dollar-for-dollar up to 3% or 4%. Always contribute at least enough to capture the full match — it is an instant 50% or 100% return.
What is a realistic expected return?
For a stock-heavy portfolio, 7% nominal is conservative; the S&P 500 has averaged closer to 10% over the last century. Use 5–6% if you want a more conservative plan or have a bond-heavy allocation.
What are the 2025 contribution limits?
$23,500 for employees under 50, with a $7,500 catch-up contribution if you are 50+ (and an additional $3,750 catch-up at ages 60–63 under SECURE 2.0). Employer match does not count against your personal limit.
Should I choose Traditional or Roth 401(k)?
Traditional reduces your taxes today; Roth reduces them in retirement. If you expect to be in a higher tax bracket when you retire, Roth is usually better. Many people split the difference by contributing to both.