This 401(k) calculator projects your balance at retirement from your salary, contribution rate, employer match, raises and expected return. It also works as a 403(b) calculator and a 457(b) calculator. It applies the 2026 IRS limit of $24,500, age-based catch-ups and shows how much match you lose if you contribute below your employer's cap.
How to use this calculator
- Pick your plan type: 401(k), 403(b) or governmental 457(b).
- Enter your current balance, current age and how many years you'll keep contributing.
- Enter your salary, the percentage you contribute and an expected yearly raise.
- Choose your employer's match formula, or pick Custom and enter the rates from your plan documents.
- Enter an expected annual return. This is your assumption, not a promise.
- Read the projected balance, the split between your money, employer money and growth, and any match you're leaving on the table. The chart shows how the balance builds year by year.
How it's calculated
For each year:
- Your contribution = salary × your %, capped at the 2026 limit for your age that year: $24,500 under 50, $32,500 at 50 or older, $35,750 at 60 to 63 (IRS Notice 2025-67).
- Employer match = pay × (first rate × your % up to the first tier + second rate × your % in the second tier). Pay counted for the match is capped at $360,000, the 2026 section 401(a)(17) limit.
- Overall cap: for a 401(k) or 403(b), employer money plus your non-catch-up deferrals can't exceed $72,000 (section 415(c)). For a 457(b), your deferral and employer money share the single deferral limit.
- Balance = last year's balance × (1 + return) + contributions × (1 + return ÷ 2), since paycheck contributions earn about half a year of growth in the year they go in.
- Match left on the table = the match you'd get at the full-match rate minus the match you get, summed over the years.
401(k) match calculator: what each formula pays
Employer match as a percentage of pay for common formulas.
| You contribute | 100% of first 3% + 50% of next 2% | 50% of first 6% | 100% of first 4% | 100% of first 6% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1% | 1% | 0.5% | 1% | 1% |
| 3% | 3% | 1.5% | 3% | 3% |
| 5% | 4% | 2.5% | 4% | 5% |
| 6% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 6% |
| 10% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 6% |
| 15% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 6% |
The 100% of 3% plus 50% of the next 2% formula is the basic matching formula used in safe harbor 401(k) plans, and in those plans the match is 100% vested at all times (IRS issue snapshot on vesting of matching contributions). The Department of Labor puts it plainly: if you don't take part in a plan that matches, you could be losing out on 25 cents, 50 cents or even a dollar for every dollar you save.
Worked examples
Returns in these examples are assumptions for illustration.
Age 30, $60,000 salary, 6% contribution
With $10,000 saved, 3% raises, a 7% return and the 100%/3% + 50%/2% match, the balance after 35 years is about $1,327,453. You contribute $217,663, the employer adds $145,109, and growth makes up $954,680.
Same person at 3%
Dropping to 3% gets a 3% match instead of 4%. The balance falls to about $839,178, and $36,277 of employer money is never paid in.
403(b) at 25, 10% contribution, 50% of first 6%
Starting from zero on $50,000 with a 6% return for 40 years, the 403(b) reaches about $1,567,451, including $113,102 of employer money.
457(b) at 50, maxing out
With $80,000 saved, a $95,000 salary and 40% elected, contributions are capped each year at the limit for that age, including the higher 60 to 63 catch-up. After 15 years at 6%, the 457(b) reaches about $986,410.
401(k) balance by contribution rate
First example (age 30, 35 years, $60,000 salary, 3% raises, 7% return, 100%/3% + 50%/2% match).
| You contribute | Employer adds | Balance after 35 years | Match missed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1% | 1% | $350,903 | $108,832 |
| 3% | 3% | $839,178 | $36,277 |
| 5% | 4% | $1,205,384 | $0 |
| 6% | 4% | $1,327,453 | $0 |
| 10% | 4% | $1,815,728 | $0 |
| 15% | 4% | $2,426,071 | $0 |
2026 limits for 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b)
| Limit | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary deferral limit (402(g)) | $24,500 |
| Catch-up, age 50 and older | $8,000 (total $32,500) |
| Catch-up, ages 60 to 63 | $11,250 (total $35,750) |
| Total employee + employer (415(c)) | $72,000 |
| Pay that can count toward contributions (401(a)(17)) | $360,000 |
A 401(k) and a 403(b) share one deferral limit per person, no matter how many employers you have. A 457(b) has its own separate limit, so a public employee with both a 403(b) and a 457(b) can defer the full amount to each (IRS). The age 50 catch-up in a 457(b) is available only in governmental plans, and a 457(b) may offer a special catch-up in the 3 years before normal retirement age that can't be combined with the age 50 catch-up.
Common mistakes
- Contributing below the match cap. The match is an immediate 50% to 100% on the dollars it covers, depending on the formula. The calculator flags it in amber.
- Maxing out too early in the year. If your plan matches per paycheck without a true-up, reaching the limit in October ends the match for November and December.
- Leaving before you're vested. Unvested employer money can be forfeited when you leave. The DOL describes 3-year cliff and 2-to-6-year graded schedules.
- Using an optimistic return. Try the projection at a lower rate too; a few points of return change a 35-year result a lot.
- Forgetting taxes. The result is a pre-tax balance for traditional contributions. Withdrawals are taxed, and early ones may be penalized; see the 401(k) early withdrawal calculator.
Limits of this projection
The projection uses a steady return, steady raises and uninterrupted contributions, with no loans, withdrawals or fees. It doesn't model Roth versus traditional taxes, the 457(b) special catch-up, after-tax contributions or profit-sharing. Use it to compare choices such as 3% versus 6% rather than as a forecast. This page is general information, not financial, tax or investment advice; check your plan's summary plan description and consider a qualified adviser.
Related: federal employees can use the TSP calculator, which uses the same 2026 limits. Once you retire, see how long your savings will last, and check what a raise does to your contribution with the pay raise calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 401(k) contribution limit for 2026?
$24,500 of salary deferrals, plus a $8,000 catch-up from age 50 ($32,500 total) or a $11,250 catch-up at ages 60 to 63 ($35,750 total), per IRS Notice 2025-67. The same limits apply to 403(b), governmental 457(b) and the TSP.
How does a 401(k) match work?
Your employer adds money based on what you contribute, using a formula in the plan. A common one is 100% of the first 3% of pay plus 50% of the next 2%: contribute 5% and the employer adds 4%. Contribute 3% and you get only 3%.
How much should I put in my 401(k)?
At minimum, enough to get the full employer match, because anything less leaves employer money unclaimed. In the example on this page, contributing 3% instead of 6% misses $36,277 of match over 35 years and ends about $488,275 lower. Beyond that, the right rate depends on your budget, other savings and goals.
How much 401(k) should I have at 30?
There is no official target. As an illustration, someone who starts at 22 on $50,000 with 3% raises, the 100%/3% + 50%/2% match and a 7% return would have about $58,402 at 30 contributing 6%, or $110,964 contributing 15%. Your number depends on when you started and how much you save.
Do employer contributions count toward the $24,500 limit?
Not in a 401(k) or 403(b): the $24,500 limit covers only your own deferrals. Employer and employee money together are capped at $72,000 for 2026 under section 415(c), with catch-ups on top. In a 457(b), the IRS says the separate limit includes both employee and employer contributions.
Can I contribute to a 403(b) and a 457(b) at the same time?
Yes. The IRS says the 457(b) limit is separate from the 401(k)/403(b) limit, so you can defer up to $24,500 to each in 2026. A 401(k) and a 403(b) share one limit, even with different employers.
What is the difference between a 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b)?
A 403(b) is offered by public schools and certain 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations, a 457(b) by state and local governments (governmental 457(b)) or other tax-exempt organizations, and a 401(k) by most other employers. They share the same 2026 deferral limit, but a 457(b) has its own separate limit, may offer a special catch-up in the 3 years before normal retirement age, and governmental 457(b) withdrawals are not charged the 10% early withdrawal tax.
When is my employer match vested?
You are always 100% vested in your own contributions. For matching contributions, the Department of Labor says plans may use 3-year cliff vesting or graded vesting of 20% after 2 years up to 100% after 6 years. Safe harbor contributions must be fully vested when made. Check your plan's summary plan description.
Does this calculator include catch-up contributions?
Yes. When your age in a given year is 50 or older, the cap rises to $32,500, and to $35,750 for ages 60 to 63. From 2026, if your prior-year wages were over $150,000, catch-ups must be made as Roth contributions.
Why does my match stop partway through the year?
Many plans calculate the match each pay period. If you hit the annual limit early, your deferrals stop and so does the match, unless the plan makes a year-end true-up. The calculator figures the match on your yearly total, which assumes a true-up. Spreading contributions across all pay periods avoids the problem.
Can I use this as a self-employed 401(k) calculator?
Only partly. The employee deferral limits are the same, but in a one-participant 401(k) the employer contribution is up to 25% of compensation, and for a self-employed owner compensation means net earnings from self-employment after half of self-employment tax and your own contributions (IRS). Use the custom match to approximate it, and use the worksheets in IRS Publication 560 for the exact figure.
Sources & method
- IRS — 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026 (IR-2025-111)
- IRS Notice 2025-67 — 2026 limits: 415(c), 401(a)(17), catch-ups, Roth catch-up wages
- IRS — How much salary can you defer if you're eligible for more than one plan?
- IRS — Retirement topics: 457(b) contribution limits
- IRS — Issue snapshot: vesting schedules for matching contributions (safe harbor basic match)
- IRS — 401(k) plan overview (safe harbor contributions fully vested)
- IRS — One-participant 401(k) plans
- IRS — 403(b) plans and 457(b) plans: who can offer them
- U.S. Department of Labor — What you should know about your retirement plan (vesting)
- U.S. Department of Labor — Are you passing up free money? (employer match)
Results are estimates for general information. Found an error? It helps everyone — see our methodology.