Retirement
Project 401(k) growth with employee contributions, employer matching, salary growth and investment return.
Projected 401(k) balance
$2,393,037.99
Employee contributions
$475,754.16
Employer contributions
$237,877.08
Modeled investment growth
$1,629,406.76
Final modeled salary
$242,726.25
Projected 401(k) balance
Hover, tap or focus a column to see its exact value.
Annual 401(k) projection
Detailed values use the same assumptions as the summary above.
| Year | Employee contributions | Employer contributions | Modeled growth | Projected balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $10,000.00 | $5,000.00 | $4,025.00 | $69,025.00 |
| 2 | $20,300.00 | $10,150.00 | $9,397.50 | $89,847.50 |
| 3 | $30,909.00 | $15,454.50 | $16,243.80 | $112,607.30 |
| 4 | $41,836.27 | $20,918.14 | $24,699.99 | $137,454.40 |
| 5 | $53,091.36 | $26,545.68 | $34,912.69 | $164,549.73 |
| 6 | $64,684.10 | $32,342.05 | $47,039.79 | $194,065.94 |
| 7 | $76,624.62 | $38,312.31 | $61,251.28 | $226,188.22 |
| 8 | $88,923.36 | $44,461.68 | $77,730.14 | $261,115.18 |
| 9 | $101,591.06 | $50,795.53 | $96,673.26 | $299,059.85 |
| 10 | $114,638.79 | $57,319.40 | $118,292.45 | $340,250.64 |
| 11 | $128,077.96 | $64,038.98 | $142,815.56 | $384,932.49 |
| 12 | $141,920.30 | $70,960.15 | $170,487.55 | $433,368.00 |
The calculator does not enforce current IRS limits, eligibility rules, vesting, taxes or plan-specific match formulas. Check your plan documents.
Calculation method
Employee contribution equals salary multiplied by the employee contribution percentage. Eligible matched salary uses the lower of the employee percentage and the match cap, multiplied by the employer match rate.
Detailed guide
A 401(k) calculator separates money already saved, future employee contributions, employer match and modeled investment growth. Salary growth changes the dollar value of percentage-based contributions over time, while the match inputs reproduce a common formula: an employer matches a percentage of employee contributions up to a salary cap.
Plan rules vary widely. This tool deliberately asks for the match percentages instead of assuming a current legal limit or universal employer formula. It is suitable for scenario comparison when you verify contribution limits, vesting and eligible compensation in your own plan documents.
Employee contribution equals salary multiplied by the employee contribution percentage. Eligible matched salary uses the lower of the employee percentage and the match cap, multiplied by the employer match rate.
The annual contribution is approximated as arriving throughout the year and therefore receives half a year of return in the annual model. Salary increases at the end of each year.
Decision guide
Top Google pages discuss contribution growth, employer matching, vesting, withdrawals, and retirement distributions. This calculator uses the values you enter and avoids embedding limits that can change, so current plan documents remain the authority.
Your deferral reduces take-home pay according to payroll and tax treatment, while an employer match follows the plan formula. Enter only the match you expect to receive and check whether contributions must be made each pay period to capture it.
Employer contributions may become yours on a schedule. A projected account balance can include money that would be forfeited after an early departure. Review the vested balance when comparing a job change, loan, or withdrawal.
A constant annual return is a planning assumption, not a forecast. Investment expenses reduce the net rate and matter more over long periods. Run lower-return and higher-fee cases while keeping contributions unchanged.
Taxes, withdrawal rules, and future distributions depend on account type and circumstances. Use the projected balance for accumulation planning, then model retirement withdrawals and taxes separately under current rules.
Save a baseline, then change only one input at a time: amount, rate, term, or recurring payment. Record the supporting outputs as well as the headline result—contributions, interest, total cost, remaining balance, or target date. This isolates the assumption that actually changes the decision instead of hiding it inside several simultaneous edits.
Do not tune every assumption until the calculator produces a preferred answer. Start with a cautious case, follow with a central case, and treat the favorable case as an upside scenario. A calculator result is not a lender quote, market forecast, or tax determination; actual dates, rounding, fees, contract rules, and required payments must be checked in primary documents.
Keep enough precision in the inputs and round only the output used for a decision. If the estimate supports a transaction, loan, tax calculation, or long-term plan, repeat it with figures from the contract or official statement. Any difference helps identify the assumption that still needs verification.
A 100% match up to 5% means the employer contributes one dollar for each eligible employee dollar, capped at 5% of salary.
Legal limits and catch-up rules can change. The calculator does not cap your input, so compare it with current official guidance and your payroll settings.
Unvested employer contributions and plan fees can reduce the amount you ultimately keep. Neither is deducted automatically.
Yes. Enter the employer match percentage and the maximum employee contribution percentage eligible for matching.
No. Limits change and can depend on age and plan rules. This page avoids external data and leaves validation to you.
It projects one account. Use the retirement calculator to compare all retirement savings with a spending and income target.
These primary sources explain the rules and concepts referenced by this calculator. Dated limits are used only where the calculator explicitly identifies the applicable year.
Updated: August 1, 2026
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