401(k) Calculator
This 401(k) calculator projects your retirement balance by combining your current savings, your ongoing contributions, your employer's match, and investment growth over time. Enter your numbers to see where you're headed — and whether you're leaving employer match money on the table.
Your age today.
When you plan to stop contributing.
What you have saved so far.
Used to calculate your contribution and employer match amounts.
Percent of salary you contribute.
How much your employer contributes per dollar you contribute — e.g. 50% means 50 cents per dollar.
The match only applies up to this percent of your salary, even if you contribute more.
A long-run average for your 401(k) investments.
Projected balance at retirement
$1,672,511
How to use this 401(k) calculator
- 1Current age, retirement age and current balance: your timeline and starting point.
- 2Annual salary and your contribution percentage: used to calculate your own annual contribution.
- 3Employer match rate and limit: check your plan documents — a common structure is '50% match up to 6% of salary,' meaning your employer adds 50 cents per dollar you contribute, but only on the first 6% of your salary you put in.
Understanding your results
Projected balance at retirement combines your current balance growing on its own, plus every future contribution (yours and your employer's) growing from the point it's made. Total employer match shows the real dollar value of a benefit that's easy to under-appreciate — contributing less than your match limit means leaving free money unclaimed.
The formula
Balance = Current balance compounded + Monthly contributions (yours + match) compoundedYour current balance grows via standard compound interest across the years until retirement. Contributions are treated as a monthly stream (your contribution plus the matched portion, both derived from your salary and contribution rate) and compounded using the standard systematic-investment future-value formula — the same math used for a SIP or DCA plan.
A worked example
A 30-year-old with $40,000 saved, earning $75,000, contributing 8% ($6,000/year) with a 50%-match-up-to-6% employer plan: the employer matches 6% of salary at 50%, contributing $2,250/year. Combined, roughly $687.50/month goes in. Over 35 years at a 7% return, the projected balance comes to about $1,672,500 — with total employer match alone contributing $78,750 of that before any growth on it is counted.
Notes for the UK, US and India
Always contribute at least enough to get your full employer match — it's an immediate, guaranteed return that no investment strategy reliably beats. 2025 IRS 401(k) employee contribution limits are $23,500 (plus a $7,500 catch-up for those 50+, or a higher catch-up for ages 60-63 under SECURE 2.0) — check current limits if your contribution percentage would exceed them at your salary level.
Frequently asked questions
Am I leaving money on the table if I contribute less than my match limit?+
Yes — if your plan matches up to 6% of salary and you only contribute 3%, you're forfeiting the employer match on the other 3% entirely. This is usually the single highest-priority savings move available, ahead of almost any other financial goal.
Does this account for contribution limits?+
No — this calculator applies your contribution percentage directly to salary without capping at IRS annual limits. At high salaries and contribution percentages, check whether you'd actually hit the annual dollar limit before your full percentage is contributed.
Should I choose traditional or Roth 401(k) contributions?+
Traditional contributions reduce your taxable income now but are taxed on withdrawal; Roth contributions are taxed now but grow and withdraw tax-free. This calculator doesn't model the tax difference — it projects the account balance assuming either choice grows the same way.