# How much will my 401(k) be worth?

Projects a 401(k) balance at retirement from your salary, your contribution rate, and your employer match, within the IRS contribution limits.

- Page: https://www.acalculator.org/finance/401k-calculator
- JSON spec: https://www.acalculator.org/finance/401k-calculator.json
- Version: e5c65d5fc9b7

## Default answer

Example with the default inputs (Your age 30, Retirement age 67, 401(k) balance today $25,000.00, Yearly salary $75,000.00, You contribute 10%, Employer match 50%, Match stops at 6%, Expected yearly return 7%, Yearly raise 3%, Prices rise each year by 3%): At 7% a year, your 401(k) grows to $2,628,812.97 by age 67, including $148,892.00 from your employer.

## Inputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| age | Your age | Your age at the end of this year. The age in later years is this plus the years that pass. |
| retire | Retirement age | The age you stop contributing. Contributions run for (retirement age − your age) years. |
| balance | 401(k) balance today | What is in your 401(k) now. |
| salary | Yearly salary | Your pay this year, before tax. |
| pct | You contribute | The percent of your salary you put in, before the IRS limit. |
| match | Employer match | The percent of your contribution your employer adds, for example 50% or 100%. |
| cap | Match stops at | The employer matches your contributions only up to this percent of your salary. |
| rate | Expected yearly return | The yearly return, as the percent the balance grows in a year. It stays the same every year. |
| raise | Yearly raise | The percent your salary goes up at the start of each new year. |
| inflation | Prices rise each year by | The yearly inflation rate used to show the balance at retirement in today’s money. |

## Outputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| total | At retirement you’ll have | The 401(k) balance at the end of the last month before retirement. |
| start | Balance today | The balance you start with. |
| yours | Your contributions | Everything you put in from now until retirement. |
| employer | Employer contributions | Everything your employer puts in from now until retirement. |
| growth | Investment growth | The balance at retirement minus today’s balance and all contributions. |
| real | In today’s money | The balance at retirement divided by (1 + inflation) to the power of the years. |
| yearYou | You put in this year | Your contribution this year, after the IRS limit. |
| yearEmployer | Your employer adds this year | Your employer’s contribution this year, after the IRS limits. |
| limit | Your IRS limit this year | The most you can put in this year at your age: $24,500 plus any catch-up (2026 limits). |

## Method

Each year, you put in min(your % × salary, the IRS limit for your age) and the employer adds match % × min(your contribution, match cap % × salary), within the section 415(c) limit; both are spread over 12 months, and the balance grows each month at (1 + R)^(1/12) − 1.

## Assumptions

- The IRS limits stay at their 2026 amounts for every future year. The IRS usually raises them with inflation.
- Contributions are spread evenly over the 12 months and added at the end of each month.
- The yearly return stays the same every year. Real returns go up and down, and can be negative.
- Your salary rises by the yearly raise at the start of each new year.
- Fees and taxes are not included. Withdrawals from a traditional 401(k) are taxed as income.
- This is an estimate for planning, not financial advice.

## Worked examples

1. age = 30, retire = 31, balance = $0.00, salary = $60,000.00, pct = 10%, match = 50%, cap = 6%, rate = 0% gives total = $7,800.00, yearYou = $6,000.00, yearEmployer = $1,800.00. Source: hand calculation in content.mdx: 10% of 60,000; 50% of the first 6% (3,600).
2. age = 55, retire = 56, balance = $0.00, salary = $300,000.00, pct = 20%, match = 100%, cap = 6%, rate = 0% gives yearYou = $32,500.00, yearEmployer = $18,000.00, total = $50,500.00, limit = $32,500.00. Source: IRS IR-2025-111: 2026 deferral limit $24,500 plus $8,000 catch-up at 50 or older; hand calculation.
3. age = 61, retire = 62, balance = $0.00, salary = $300,000.00, pct = 20%, match = 100%, cap = 6%, rate = 0% gives yearYou = $35,750.00, limit = $35,750.00. Source: IRS IR-2025-111: $24,500 plus the $11,250 catch-up for ages 60 to 63 in 2026.
4. age = 40, retire = 41, balance = $0.00, salary = $350,000.00, pct = 10%, match = 200%, cap = 25%, rate = 0% gives yearYou = $24,500.00, yearEmployer = $47,500.00, total = $72,000.00. Source: IRS 401(k) contribution limits page: 2026 annual additions limit $72,000, catch-ups excluded; hand calculation.
5. age = 30, retire = 40, balance = $10,000.00, salary = $50,000.00, raise = 0%, pct = 6%, match = 100%, cap = 6%, rate = 7% gives total = $105,197.38, yours = $30,000.00, employer = $30,000.00. Source: hand calculation in content.mdx: 10,000 × 1.07^10 plus 500 a month for 120 months.

## FAQ

### How much can I put in a 401(k) in 2026?

For 2026 the IRS limit on your own (elective) contributions is $24,500. If you are 50 or older by the end of the year, you can add a catch-up of $8,000, so $32,500. If you turn 60, 61, 62, or 63 in 2026, the catch-up is $11,250 instead, so $35,750. The calculator applies the limit for your age each year.

### How does an employer match work?

A common match is 50% of what you put in, up to 6% of your salary. On a $60,000 salary, if you put in 10% ($6,000), the employer matches half of the first 6% ($3,600), which is $1,800. If you put in less than the match cap, you get less of the match.

### Is there a limit on employer contributions too?

Yes. Your contributions (not counting catch-ups) plus your employer’s cannot be more than $72,000 in 2026, or 100% of your pay if that is less. The calculator lowers the employer amount if it would go over.

### Do the limits change every year?

Usually. The IRS adjusts them for inflation each November for the next year. The calculator keeps the 2026 limits for every future year, so for a long career it may cap your contributions a little too low.

### What is the difference between a traditional and a Roth 401(k)?

Traditional 401(k) contributions come out of your pay before income tax, and withdrawals in retirement are taxed. Roth 401(k) contributions are taxed now, and qualified withdrawals are tax-free. Both share the same yearly limit. The balance this calculator shows is before any tax on withdrawals.

### When can I take money out?

Withdrawals before age 59½ usually carry a 10% additional tax on top of income tax, with some exceptions. From age 73 you generally must take required minimum distributions from a traditional 401(k).

### Does this include Social Security?

No. It shows only your 401(k). Social Security is separate: if you were born in 1960 or later, your full retirement age is 67, and claiming at 62 cuts your monthly benefit by 30%.

## Sources

- Internal Revenue Service, IR-2025-111 (November 13, 2025): 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/401k-limit-increases-to-24500-for-2026-ira-limit-increases-to-7500
- Internal Revenue Service, Retirement topics: 401(k) and profit-sharing plan contribution limits (annual additions $72,000 in 2026). https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-401k-and-profit-sharing-plan-contribution-limits
- Internal Revenue Service, Retirement topics: catch-up contributions. https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-catch-up-contributions
- Internal Revenue Service, Topic no. 558, Additional tax on early distributions from retirement plans other than IRAs. https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc558
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Investor.gov: 401(k) plan. https://www.investor.gov/introduction-investing/investing-basics/glossary/401k-plan
- Social Security Administration, Benefits Planner: born in 1960 or later. https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/1960.html