401(k) Calculator

How to use this calculator

Enter your annual salary and the percentage of it you contribute to your 401(k). Add your current balance, then describe your employer's match: the match rate is the share of your contribution they add (for example 50%), and the match limit is the percentage of salary up to which that match applies. Set an expected annual return and the number of years until you retire. The result updates instantly, splitting your projected balance into your contributions, the employer match, and investment growth.

How this is calculated

Each year you contribute salary × your contribution %. Your employer matches their rate against whichever is smaller — your contribution or the match limit — so the employer adds salary × min(your %, limit %) × match rate. We add both amounts every year and grow the whole balance, including your current balance, at your chosen annual return using standard future-value compounding. Your contributions and the employer match are the raw dollars added over time; investment growth is everything the market earns on top.

Educational estimate, not investment advice — see our disclaimer.

A worked example

Say you earn $70,000, contribute 6%, and your employer matches 50% up to 6% of salary. You put in $4,200 a year. Because your 6% meets the 6% limit, the employer matches 50% of that 6% — which is 3% of salary, or $2,100 every year. That is a guaranteed 50% return on your contribution before the market does anything. Starting from a $10,000 balance and growing at 7% for 30 years, the combined contributions compound into a six-figure balance, with the employer's share alone adding tens of thousands of dollars you never had to earn.

Tips to get the most from your 401(k)

• Contribute at least up to the full match — anything less leaves free money on the table. If your employer matches up to 6%, contributing only 3% means you forfeit half the match you were offered.
• Raise your rate with every pay bump — increasing your contribution by 1% when you get a raise barely dents your take-home pay but compounds powerfully over decades.
• Mind the vesting schedule — some employer matches only become fully yours after a few years of service.
• Keep fees low — choosing low-cost index funds inside your plan preserves more of your growth.

To see how your 401(k) fits a complete retirement plan, try our retirement calculator. To explore raw compounding on any lump sum or contribution, the compound interest calculator shows the same growth math without the match.