401(k) Savings Calculator (2026)
Project your 401(k) balance at retirement using 2026 IRS contribution limits, employer match, salary growth and expected investment return.
Written by Rahman · Last reviewed
Quick answer
A 401(k) projection compounds your current balance plus future contributions and employer match at an assumed annual return: FV = balance × (1 + r)ⁿ + contributions × ((1 + r)ⁿ − 1) ÷ r. The employer match matters most — a 50% match on the first 6% of salary is an immediate 50% return on that portion, which no investment reliably beats.
- Starting balance25,000.00 (1.2%)
- Your contributions399,955.82 (18.7%)
- Employer match119,986.75 (5.6%)
- Growth1,589,890.21 (74.5%)
- Total2,134,832.78
Uses 2026 IRS limits: $24,500 base contribution, +$8,000 catch-up at age 50+, +$11,250 super catch-up at age 60-63 (SECURE 2.0 rule). The limit that applies changes with your age each year, but the 2026 figures are held flat for all future years — the IRS indexes them to inflation, so a long projection understates how much you could actually contribute later on. Read the result in today's money.
Results are estimates for general guidance and are not financial, tax or legal advice. Except where a calculator names a currency, figures carry no currency of their own — put in pounds and you get pounds back, put in rupees and you get rupees. Figures depend on the assumptions you enter and on rates that change over time — check current rates and speak to a qualified adviser before acting on them.
About the 401(k) Savings Calculator (2026)
A 401(k) is a US employer-sponsored retirement account. You contribute a percentage of your salary pre-tax (or to a Roth 401(k) post-tax), and many employers add a matching contribution — effectively free money. The balance grows tax-deferred until withdrawal, typically after age 59½.
The 2026 IRS limits allow you to contribute up to $24,500 of your own money, with extra "catch-up" contributions available once you turn 50 (+$8,000) and a SECURE 2.0 super catch-up for ages 60–63 (+$11,250, unchanged from 2025). This calculator projects your final balance using your inputs, scaled correctly across years as your age and salary change.
FV = balance × (1 + r)^n + contrib × ((1 + r)^n − 1) / r
Where r is the annual return, n is years to retirement, and contrib is your total annual contribution (employee + employer match). Salary growth and changing IRS limits are applied year by year.
Sarah is 30, earns $80,000, contributes 10% of salary, and her employer matches 50% of contributions up to 6% of salary. She has $25,000 already saved. Assuming a 7% return and 2% salary growth, at age 65 her 401(k) reaches approximately $2.1 million. Her own contributions total about $400,000, the employer match adds roughly $120,000, and the remaining $1.6 million is investment growth — illustrating the dominant role of compounding over decades.
The match is a return no investment can match
Employer matching is the highest-certainty return available in a 401(k), and it is settled the moment the contribution is made rather than over decades. It is worth separating from the market return in the projection above, because they are not the same kind of thing at all.
A common arrangement is 50% of the first 6% of salary. On $75,000, contributing 6% means $4,500 of your own money and $2,250 from the employer — an immediate 50% return before the market does anything. A dollar-for-dollar match on the same 6% would be $4,500, a 100% return. No investment offers that reliably.
- Contributing less than the full match leaves that return unclaimed. It is the one part of the projection that is not an estimate.
- Vesting schedules can delay ownership of the employer portion, sometimes for several years. Leaving before vesting forfeits it.
- Matching formulas vary — some match per pay period rather than annually, which can penalise front-loading contributions early in the year.
What the annual limit does and does not cover
The contribution cap applies to what you elect to defer from your own salary. For 2026 that is $24,500. Employer contributions do not count against it, which is why the match can push total annual additions well above the figure.
The cap rises with age under two separate provisions. From 50 an additional $8,000 catch-up applies, raising the personal limit to $32,500. Between 60 and 63 the SECURE 2.0 super catch-up of $11,250 applies instead, giving a personal limit of $35,750 in those four years specifically — after which it reverts to the standard catch-up.
- Traditional contributions reduce taxable income now and are taxed on withdrawal; Roth 401(k) contributions do the reverse. The limit is shared between them, not doubled.
- Withdrawals before 59½ generally incur a 10% penalty on top of income tax, with limited exceptions.
- These figures are set annually by the IRS and change most years. This calculator is refreshed each year once the new limits are published.
2026 contribution limits by age
| Age | Base limit | Catch-up | Total limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 50 | $24,500 | $0 | $24,500 |
| 50–59 | $24,500 | $8,000 | $32,500 |
| 60–63 (SECURE 2.0) | $24,500 | $11,250 | $35,750 |
| 64 and over | $24,500 | $8,000 | $32,500 |
The ages 60–63 "super catch-up" applies under the SECURE 2.0 Act. It reverts to the standard catch-up at age 64.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an employer match?
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Many employers contribute additional money to your 401(k) based on what you contribute — a common structure is "50% match up to 6% of salary," meaning if you put in 6% they add another 3%. Always contribute at least enough to capture the full match — it is part of your compensation.
Should I pick a Roth 401(k) or traditional?
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Traditional contributions reduce taxable income now and you pay tax on withdrawals in retirement. Roth contributions are taxed now and withdrawals are tax-free. Pick Roth if you expect to be in a higher tax bracket in retirement, traditional if lower.
What happens to my 401(k) if I leave my job?
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You can leave it with the old employer (if allowed), roll it over into your new employer's 401(k), roll it into an IRA, or cash it out (taxes plus penalty before age 59½ — almost always a bad idea).
How is the "super catch-up" different from the regular catch-up?
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SECURE 2.0 raised the catch-up limit for ages 60–63 specifically — to $11,250 in 2026, above the standard $8,000 catch-up. After age 63 it drops back to the standard catch-up amount.
What return rate should I assume?
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A 7% long-term real return (after inflation) is a common conservative figure for a diversified stock-heavy portfolio. More aggressive plans assume 8–10% nominal; more conservative plans use 5–6%.
Sources
- IRS Notice 2025-67 — 2026 retirement plan limits — Official 2026 401(k) elective deferral limit and catch-up contribution amounts.