401(k) Calculator
Project your 401(k) balance at retirement from contributions, employer match and growth.
How to use the 401(k) Calculator
- Enter your current 401(k) balance and salary.
- Enter your contribution and your employer's match, each as a percent of salary.
- Enter the expected annual return and years until retirement.
- See your projected balance, split into contributions, match and growth.
Future value of your current balance plus the monthly annuity of (your contribution + employer match)
About the 401(k) Calculator
A 401(k) grows from three engines at once: the money you put in, the match your employer adds, and the investment returns compounding on top of both. This calculator projects all three to your retirement date. It grows your current balance forward, adds your contribution and the employer match as monthly deposits, and compounds the whole thing at the return you set — then breaks the final number into how much came from you, from your employer, and from growth.
The employer match is the part worth staring at. It is money added on top of your salary for saving, so leaving it on the table is an immediate loss. Nudging your own contribution up to capture the full match, or adding a couple of years, moves the ending balance far more than the amounts involved suggest, because the earliest dollars compound the longest.
This is a smooth projection, not a forecast: it assumes a steady salary, contribution and return, and does not model annual contribution limits, salary raises, fees or tax on withdrawals. Use it to compare choices rather than to predict an exact figure. For a general retirement target use the retirement savings calculator, and for any lump sum plus deposits the future value calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How does the employer match work?
Enter it as a percent of your salary that your employer adds when you contribute. If they match up to 3% of salary and you contribute at least that, enter 3. It is added on top of your own contributions as free retirement money.
What return should I assume?
A long-run figure of around 6–8% is common for a diversified portfolio, but real returns vary year to year and are not guaranteed. Try a few rates to see how sensitive the result is.
Does this account for contribution limits?
No. It assumes your chosen contribution continues steadily and does not apply annual 401(k) limits, salary raises, fees or withdrawal tax. It is a planning estimate, so treat the total as approximate.