Free calculator · No signup · Method shown

401(k) calculator

See how big your 401(k) could be at retirement and how much comes from your savings, your employer match and growth.

Use the calculator Read the guide first

Example Balance at 65 $1,941,001

StockEducation Editorial Team · Updated · 18 min read · How we check our tools

The calculator

Calculate your 401(k) at retirement

Output Calculated from your inputs

Try an example
2026 calculatorFree · No signup

Your 401(k) assumptions

Use annual salary and contribution percentages. The model applies the 2026 employee deferral and catch-up limits.

yrs
yrs
$
$
%
%
%
Example: 50% means 50 cents per $1 you contribute.
%
%
Estimated balance at age 65
$—

Illustration from your inputs, not live data or a forecast. Salary grows yearly; deposits arrive monthly after growth at annual return ÷ 12. The 2026 contribution limits stay fixed for future years. Balance is in future dollars before tax, fees and inflation; vesting and plan-specific rules are excluded. Full method · IRS limits.

Your contributions, employer match and investment growth will appear here.
Your contributions$—
Employer match$—
Investment growth$—
Where the ending balance came from
Current balance$—
New contributions$—
Investment growth$—
2026 limits: $24,500 employee deferral; $8,000 catch-up at 50+, or $11,250 at ages 60–63.
Annual projection
AgeSalaryYouEmployerEnd balance

Educational estimate only. Uses constant returns and fixed 2026 contribution limits; the projected balance is in future dollars. Your plan terms control.

How to use it (three steps)

Enter your age, pay and how much you save, then press Calculate. You get your balance at retirement, where it came from and a year by year table. Not sure what to enter? Load an example.

  1. 1Enter your age, pay, what you save and what your employer adds
  2. 2Press Calculate and read the balance in words below the tool
  3. 3Raise your saving rate by one point and watch the gap

Your result in words

Future dollars

Your result will appear here once the calculator runs.

    Compare two plans

    Keep or share this result

    Saved numbers and images stay on this device. A copied link holds only the tool inputs, nothing else.

    Quick answer

    How much will my 401(k) be worth when I retire?

    Three things decide most of it: how many years you have, how much of your pay you save, and whether you collect the full employer match. In the default example, a 35 year old earning $85,000 saves 10%, gets a 50% match on the first 6% of pay and earns 7% a year. By 65 the account reaches $1,941,001, and $1,365,293 of that is investment growth. That figure is in future dollars. At 3% inflation it buys about what $799,667 buys today.

    Balance at 65$1,941,001
    You put in$404,391
    Employer match$121,317
    Investment growth$1,365,293

    Checked against IRS · Dept. of Labor · see sources

    Key takeaways
    • Three sources. Your money, the match and growth. Growth usually ends up the biggest.
    • Match first. Save at least enough to get every dollar your employer offers.
    • Time wins. Starting at 25 instead of 35 more than doubles the default result.
    • Limits. $24,500 in 2026, $32,500 from age 50.
    • Fees cost. One extra point of fees cut a balance by 28% in the Labor Department example.
    • Future dollars. Divide by inflation to see what it buys today.

    How the match worksWhat changes the result2026 limitsTest yourself

    Part 1 of 3 · How it works

    How does a 401(k) grow?

    A 401(k) grows from three sources: what you put in, what your employer adds, and what the investments earn. Over a long career the third one usually ends up the biggest.

    1

    What is a 401(k)?

    A 401(k) is a retirement account you get through your job. You choose a percentage of your pay, and it goes into the account from each paycheck before you see it. Inside the account the money is invested, usually in funds you pick from a short menu.

    With a traditional 401(k), the money goes in before income tax and you pay tax when you take it out. With a Roth 401(k), you pay tax now and qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax free. Either way, you pay no tax on the growth while it stays in the account.

    2

    What is an employer match?

    Many employers add money when you contribute. A common formula, and this calculator’s default, is a 50% match on the first 6% of pay. Save 6% and your employer adds another 3%. On an $85,000 salary that is $2,550 a year you only get if you contribute.

    Example: 4% or 6%

    Same person, same pay. Saving 4% earns a match of only 2% of pay. Over 30 years the employer adds $80,878 instead of $121,317, and the final balance is $1,114,368 instead of $1,468,639. Those extra two points are worth $354,271 by 65.

    3

    How does this calculator work?

    1. Your salary rises by the growth rate you enter, once a year.
    2. Each month, your contribution and your employer’s match go into the account. Both are capped at the 2026 IRS limits.
    3. The balance grows each month at your yearly return divided by 12.
    4. It repeats until your retirement age, then shows the total split into your money, the match and growth.
    Year one of the default example

    Start with $50,000. You add $8,500 (10% of $85,000), your employer adds $2,550 and growth adds $3,976. After one year the balance is $65,026.

    4

    Is the employer match mine right away?

    Not always. Money you put in from your own pay is always 100% yours. Employer money can come with a vesting schedule, which means you earn ownership of it over years of service.6 The calculator assumes you stay long enough to keep every matched dollar.

    The IRS describes two common shapes. With a three year cliff, you own none of the match until three years of service, then all of it. With a six year graded schedule, you own 20% after year two and 20% more each year until you reach 100% in year six. Some plans vest immediately; your plan document says which applies.

    What leaving early can cost

    As an arithmetic illustration, suppose a plan adds $3,000 a year under a three-year cliff. Ignoring investment growth and other plan conditions, leaving after two credited years forfeits $6,000 of unvested match; after three credited years the $9,000 is vested. Under the graded schedule above, four credited years means 60% is vested. Your actual plan’s service and vesting rules govern.

    The rule

    Take the full match first. It is the best return you will ever get on a dollar.

    Marks Part 1 done

    Part 2 of 3 · What moves the result

    What changes your 401(k) balance the most?

    Every input matters, but not equally. Starting age and how much you save do most of the work.

    5

    How much does starting age matter?

    A lot. Money saved at 25 has 40 years to grow. Money saved at 45 has 20. At 7% a year, money roughly doubles every 10 years, so those extra decades multiply everything.

    Same plan, three starting ages

    Everything else stays at the default: $50,000 starting balance, $85,000 pay rising 3% a year, 10% saved, 50% match up to 6%, 7% return, retire at 65.
    6

    How much should I contribute?

    Enough to get the full match, then as much as you can comfortably keep up. Here is the default plan at four savings rates:

    Save 4%$1,114,368
    Save 6%$1,468,639
    Save 10%$1,941,001
    Save 15%$2,531,454

    Going from 6% to 10% adds $472,362. A common way to get there without feeling it is to raise your rate by one point each time you get a raise.

    7

    How much do returns and fees matter?

    One point of return, up or down, moves the default result by about $350,000 to $450,000. You cannot control returns, but you can control fees, which come straight out of them.

    6% a year$1,590,332
    7% a year$1,941,001
    8% a year$2,387,250
    What the Department of Labor found

    Take a $25,000 balance, 35 years and a 7% return. With 0.5% a year in fees it grows to $227,000. With 1.5% in fees it reaches only $163,000: 28% less for one extra point of cost.3

    What each input does to the $1,941,001 default
    InputChangeEffect
    Starting age35 to 25: +$2,395,797Large
    Your contribution10% to 15%: +$590,453Large
    Expected return7% to 8%: +$446,249; 7% to 6%: −$350,669Large
    Salary growth3% to 0%: −$411,786Medium
    Employer match50% to 100%: +$354,272Medium
    Retirement age65 to 67: +$349,005Medium

    All figures from this calculator on October 15, 2026. Illustrations, not forecasts or recommendations.

    8

    Why does an early dollar beat a late one by so much?

    Because growth compounds on growth. Take a single $1,000 contribution and a steady 7% a year. Put in at 25, it has 40 years until 65 and becomes about $14,974. Put in at 45, it has 20 years and becomes about $3,870. Same dollar, same return, almost four times the result.

    That is why the starting age row in the table above dwarfs the others. Every year you wait removes the last and largest year of growth from each dollar, and that lost year applies to the whole balance, not just new money.

    The practical lesson for a late starter is not to give up. It is to lean on the inputs you still control: a higher savings rate, the full match and low fees. Someone starting at 45 can close part of the gap by saving 15% instead of 10%, and the catch up limits from age 50 exist for exactly that reason.

    The rule

    Start early, save at least enough for the full match, and keep fees low.

    Marks Part 2 done

    Part 3 of 3 · Limits, taxes and inflation

    What will your 401(k) really be worth?

    The calculator shows a big number in future dollars, before tax. Three things decide what it is really worth to you.

    9

    What are the 2026 401(k) limits?

    For 2026 you can contribute up to $24,500 of your own pay.1 From age 50 you can add $8,000 more in catch up contributions, for $32,500 in total. If you are 60 to 63, the catch up amount is $11,250 instead. The calculator applies these limits and caps your contribution if you go over.

    One change starts in 2026: if you earned more than $150,000 in Social Security wages from your employer last year, your catch up contributions must go in as Roth money.2

    When the cap kicks in

    Saving 30% of a $150,000 salary would be $45,000 a year. The calculator caps the first year at $24,500, so your own contributions grow more slowly than the percentage suggests.

    10

    Is the result in today’s dollars?

    No. It is in future dollars, so it does not account for prices rising. To see what it would buy today, divide by the growth in prices over the same years.

    The same $1,941,001, measured two ways

    Today’s dollars = $1,941,001 ÷ 1.03 to the power of 30. Use the inflation calculator to try other rates.
    11

    When can I take the money out?

    Withdrawals before age 59½ usually cost a 10% additional tax on top of regular income tax, with some exceptions.4 Withdrawals from a traditional 401(k) are taxed as income. From age 73 (75 if you were born in 1960 or later) you generally have to start taking a minimum amount out each year.5

    Your turn

    Check whether the money will last. The retirement calculator takes a balance like this one and shows how long it pays your monthly spending.

    Open the retirement calculator Free, no signup.
    12

    Does traditional or Roth leave me with more money?

    If your tax rate is the same now and in retirement, they come out equal. Traditional money goes in before tax and is taxed when you take it out. Roth money goes in after tax, and qualified withdrawals are tax free after the five-tax-year period and age 59½ (or qualifying disability or death).7

    The same $10,000 of pay, two ways

    At a 22% tax rate, $10,000 of pay buys $10,000 in a traditional account or $7,800 in a Roth. At 7% for 30 years, the traditional balance becomes about $76,123, and after 22% tax you keep about $59,376. The Roth grows from $7,800 to about $59,376, all tax free. Identical.

    In this simplified comparison, the tax-rate difference drives the result; real choices also involve plan rules, contribution limits and withdrawal needs. Expect a higher rate later and Roth tends to win; expect a lower one and traditional tends to win. The calculator shows the balance before any tax, so a traditional result overstates what you can spend, while a Roth result is closer to spendable.

    The rule

    Plan in today’s dollars, and remember a traditional 401(k) is taxed when you take it out.

    Marks Part 3 done

    Mistakes to avoid

    Three mistakes to avoid, and what to do instead

    Leaving match money on the table

    If your employer matches 4% and you save 3%, you give up a raise. Save at least enough to collect the full match before anything else.

    Using a hopeful return

    A 10% assumption makes any plan look safe. Test 5% and 6% too, because the money has to last through bad decades as well as good ones.

    Forgetting the fees

    A fund charging 1% a year instead of 0.1% can take a sizable share of a forty year balance. Check the expense ratios in your plan menu.

    Quick check

    Three quick questions and one why

    0 of 3 answered

    1. Your employer matches 50% of what you put in, up to 6% of pay. You earn $60,000 and save 6%. How much does your employer add in a year?

    Answer: B, $1,800.$60,000 × 6% = $3,600 from you, and half of that is $1,800 from your employer.

    2. Starting from the $1,941,001 default, which single change adds the most?

    Answer: C, starting at 25.It adds $2,395,797. Saving 15% adds $590,453, the bigger match $354,272 and retiring at 67 $349,005.

    3. What is the most a 40 year old can contribute from their own pay to a 401(k) in 2026?

    Answer: B, $24,500.$32,500 applies from age 50 with catch up. $7,500 is the IRA limit, and $72,000 is the cap on all contributions, including the employer’s.
    Why: why does starting ten years earlier beat saving 50% more?

    At 7% a year, money doubles roughly every 10 years. Ten extra years means every early dollar gets one more doubling, and that applies to the whole balance. Saving 15% instead of 10% only adds more new money, which then has the same time to grow as before.

    Common questions

    401(k) Calculator FAQ

    How much should I contribute to my 401(k)?

    Your contribution depends on your budget, debts, emergency savings and retirement goals. Check what contribution earns your plan’s full match. On $85,000 of pay with a 50% match on the first 6%, contributing 6% earns $2,550 of annual match; contributing 4% earns $1,700, so the difference is $850. This illustrates the plan formula, not a personal recommendation.

    How much will my 401(k) be worth when I retire?

    It depends mainly on three things: your years until retirement, your savings rate and whether you collect the full match. Returns matter too, but you cannot control them. In this calculator’s default example, a 35 year old earning $85,000 who saves 10% with a 50% match and a 7% return reaches about $1.94 million by 65. That is in future dollars. At 3% inflation it buys roughly what $800,000 buys today, so read the result with inflation in mind.

    What is the 401(k) contribution limit for 2026?

    You can defer up to $24,500 of your own pay into a 401(k) in 2026. From age 50 you can add an $8,000 catch up, for $32,500 in total, and if you are 60 to 63 the catch up is $11,250 instead. Employer contributions do not count toward your $24,500. Starting in 2026, if you earned more than $150,000 in Social Security wages from that employer last year, your catch up money must go in as Roth. The calculator caps contributions at these limits.

    Should I choose a traditional or a Roth 401(k)?

    Traditional contributions generally reduce taxable income now and are taxed when withdrawn. Roth contributions are after tax, and qualified distributions are tax free after the five-tax-year period and age 59½, or qualifying disability or death. With the same tax rate and the same pre-tax pay available to save, the simplified outcomes are equal. Different tax rates, plan rules and withdrawal needs can change the comparison; both types share an elective-deferral limit.

    Is my employer match free money?

    It is extra pay, but it is only fully yours once it vests. Your own contributions are always 100% yours. Employer money can follow a vesting schedule, such as a three year cliff where you own nothing until year three, or a graded schedule that reaches 100% by year six. Leave before you are vested and you forfeit the unvested part. Check your plan’s summary description to learn your schedule before changing jobs.

    What happens to my 401(k) when I leave my job?

    Your vested balance stays yours, and you usually have three choices: leave it in the old plan, move it to a new employer’s plan or roll it into an IRA. A direct rollover, paid straight to the new account, has no tax withheld. If an eligible rollover distribution is paid to you rather than directly to the receiving plan or IRA, the plan generally withholds 20%. A full rollover generally requires depositing the entire amount within 60 days, including replacing the withheld amount from other money; exceptions and special rules can apply. Cashing out before 59½ usually adds a 10% additional tax.

    Is a 7% return realistic for a 401(k)?

    It is a common teaching assumption, not a forecast or a promise. Some years lose money and some gain far more; 7% stands in for a long run average of a stock heavy mix. Your own return depends on how your account is invested and what your funds charge. Run your plan at 5% and 6% as well. If the lower result still works for you, your plan does not depend on good luck.

    What does this 401(k) calculator leave out?

    It shows a balance in future dollars before taxes, fund fees and inflation, and it assumes you stay vested and keep contributing every month until retirement. The 2026 IRS limits are applied and held fixed for later years, even though the IRS usually raises them. To allow for fees, lower the return by your funds’ expense ratio. To see today’s dollars, use the inflation calculator. It is an illustration for learning, not personal advice.

    Next steps

    You know what drives your 401(k). Now learn how to invest it.

    A free account saves your course progress and opens the $1,000,000 practice simulator, where you can watch real U.S. stocks rise and fall with virtual money before any of your own is at stake.

    Create your free account Next lesson: Roth IRA, 401(k) or brokerage account

    Free, no card. Lessons and tools stay free to use without an account.

    Your 401(k) on one card, and where to go next
    1. Step 1 · DoneHow a 401(k) grows
      See it on one card
      1. Three sources. Your money, the match and growth. Growth usually ends up the biggest.
      2. Match first. Save at least enough to get every dollar your employer offers.
      3. Time wins. Starting at 25 instead of 35 more than doubles the default result.
      4. Limits. $24,500 in 2026, $32,500 from age 50.
      5. Fees cost. One extra point of fees cut a balance by 28% in the Labor Department example.
      6. Future dollars. Divide by inflation to see what it buys today.
    2. 2
      Step 2 · NowWill the money last?

      Turn a 401(k) balance into monthly income and see how many years it covers.

      Open the retirement calculator Free, no signup.
    3. 3
      Step 3Follow the learning path
      The learning pathFree

      Learn the rest in the right order

      Lessons, videos, tools and quizzes, ordered so each step builds on the last, from market basics to building a portfolio.

      Start the learning path

    Want the full sequence? See the course outline →

    Sources and assumptions

    1. IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500. Sets the $24,500 deferral limit, the $8,000 catch up from age 50 and the $11,250 catch up for ages 60 to 63.
    2. IRS: Retirement topics, catch up contributions. Explains catch up rules, including the Roth requirement for higher earners that starts in 2026.
    3. U.S. Department of Labor: A Look at 401(k) Plan Fees. The $25,000, 35 year example: $227,000 with 0.5% fees and $163,000 with 1.5%, a 28% difference.
    4. IRS Topic No. 558, Additional tax on early distributions from retirement plans other than IRAs. The 10% additional tax before age 59½ and its exceptions.
    5. IRS: Retirement plan and IRA required minimum distributions FAQs. Required minimum distributions generally start at age 73.
    6. IRS: Retirement topics, vesting. Your own deferrals are always fully vested; employer money can follow a cliff or graded schedule.
    7. IRS: Roth comparison chart. How Roth and traditional 401(k) contributions and withdrawals are taxed, and the five year rule.
    8. IRS: Rollovers of retirement plan and IRA distributions. The 60 day rollover window, direct rollovers and the 20% withholding on checks paid to you.

    Method: the calculator raises salary once a year by the growth rate, adds your contribution and the employer match each month, and grows the balance monthly at the yearly return divided by 12. Contributions are capped at the 2026 limits, which are held fixed for future years. The default example is age 35, retirement at 65, a $50,000 balance, $85,000 pay rising 3% a year, a 10% contribution, a 50% match on the first 6% of pay and a 7% return. Every figure on this page came from this calculator on October 15, 2026. Results are in future dollars before tax, fees and inflation, and exclude vesting and plan rules. All amounts are in U.S. dollars.

    Page history. October 23, 2026: V11 guide sections, FAQs and source links added; existing factual corrections and tool functions retained.

    StockEducation provides general education, not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Results are illustrations based on the assumptions you enter, not forecasts or promises of any return. Investing involves risk, including the loss of money you invest.

    Up nextPart 1
    Next ↓