NumberTally 401(k) Calculator
Project what your 401(k) will be worth at retirement. Enter your age, salary, contribution rate, and employer match — the calculator compounds it year by year, enforces the 2026 IRS contribution limits, and shows exactly how much of your final balance came from you, your employer’s match, and growth.
Employer match options
A “50% match” means your employer adds 50¢ for every $1 you contribute, up to the cap below.
“50% of the first 6%” is the most common match formula. Set both to 0 for no match.
How the employer match works
An employer match is free money added to your account on top of your own contributions. With a “50% match on the first 6% of salary,” someone earning $100,000 who contributes 6% ($6,000) gets an extra $3,000 from their employer that year. Contribute less than 6% and you leave part of the match on the table; contribute more and the match stays at $3,000 — only your own extra savings grow.
Always contribute at least enough to capture the full match before saving anywhere else. A 50% match is an instant 50% return on that portion of your contribution — no investment can reliably beat it.
2026 IRS contribution limits
For 2026, the IRS caps employee elective deferrals at $24,500 per year. If you are 50 or older, an extra $8,000 catch-up contribution is allowed, for a total of $32,500. This calculator caps your annual contribution at the limit that applies to your current age and tells you when the cap kicked in. Limits are set by the IRS each year, so treat these as the 2026 figures.
Note: employer matching dollars do not count against your $24,500 elective-deferral limit — they count toward a separate, higher total-contribution limit.
What return should I assume?
A diversified stock portfolio has historically returned about 7–10% per year before inflation. Most 401(k) projections use 6–8% as a planning assumption. The number you pick moves the result enormously over decades — at 7%, money roughly doubles every 10 years — so run the calculation at two or three rates to see the range.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 401(k) contribution limit for 2026?
$24,500 in employee elective deferrals, plus an $8,000 catch-up contribution if you are 50 or older ($32,500 total). Employer matching contributions are separate and do not count against this limit.
How does a “50% match on the first 6%” work?
Your employer contributes 50¢ for every $1 you put in, but only on contributions up to 6% of your salary. Earn $100,000 and contribute 6% ($6,000) and you get $3,000 free. Contribute 10% and the match is still $3,000 — it caps at 6% of salary.
Should I contribute enough to get the full match?
Almost always yes. The match is an instant 50–100% return on that money with zero market risk. Turning it down is the equivalent of declining a raise.
Does this projection include taxes and fees?
No. Traditional 401(k) withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income in retirement, and fund expense ratios (often 0.05–1%) quietly reduce returns. Treat the projection as a before-tax, before-fee planning number.
Are contributions assumed at the start or end of each year?
End of each year, compounded annually at your expected return. Real 401(k)s receive a slice of every paycheck and compound continuously, which would make the true number slightly higher.