Your 401(k) Details
Your age today
Common targets: 65 (Medicare) or 67 (full Social Security)
Total across all employer plans and rollover IRAs if desired
Gross (pre-tax) yearly salary in USD
Employee deferral; capped at the 2026 limit ($24,500, or $32,500 at 50+)
e.g. 50 means your employer adds 50 cents per each $1 you contribute
e.g. 50% of the first 6% of pay = the classic "50 up to 6"
Long-run US stock average is ~10% nominal; 6–8% is a common planning figure
Applied each year; contributions and match grow with salary
2026 401(k) Limits (IRS)
- Employee deferral (402(g) limit): $24,500 — the maximum you can contribute from your own paycheck in 2026.
- Age 50+ catch-up: +$8,000 — raises your personal cap to $32,500 for the year.
- Total 415(c) limit: $72,000 — the combined maximum of employee deferrals + employer match + profit sharing + after-tax contributions.
Projected at Retirement (Age 65)
Heads-up:
How this calculator works
Each year until retirement age: employee contribution = salary × contribution %, capped at $24,500 ($32,500 once age 50+). Employer match = min(salary × your contribution % × match rate, salary × match cap %). End-of-year balance = (balance + employee contribution + employer match) × (1 + annual return). Salary grows by your raise % every year. Contributions are the full-year amounts (annual approximation). All money math runs in integer cents to avoid floating-point drift.
Year-by-Year Growth Schedule
| Year (Age) | Salary | You | Employer | Growth | End Balance |
|---|
Showing the first 5 and last 5 years. Middle years are collapsed.
What the Numbers Mean
Replacement rate: the 4% "safe withdrawal" figure below means if you withdraw 4% of your final balance in your first retirement year, that income equals X% of your salary in the year just before retirement (which has grown with your raises). A commonly cited target is 70%–85% of pre-retirement income, supplemented by Social Security. This projection assumes constant returns, annual contributions at year-end growth, and no fees, loans, hardship withdrawals or job changes — real results will differ. 401(k) withdrawals before age 59½ generally add a 10% penalty plus income tax (see FAQ).
❓ 401(k) FAQ
What is the 2026 401(k) contribution limit?
The employee deferral limit for 2026 is $24,500 per year. If you turn 50 during the year (or are older), you can add an $8,000 catch-up contribution, for a total personal cap of $32,500. Employer contributions are separate and count toward the 415(c) overall limit of $72,000 ($80,000 including the age-50+ catch-up). Limits are per person, not per plan.
How does employer matching work?
The most common formula is "50% of the first 6% of pay". Example: salary $85,000, you contribute 10% ($8,500). Your employer matches 50% of the first 6% of $85,000 ($5,100), so it adds $2,550 per year — free money. Two rules matter: you usually must contribute yourself to receive any match, and many plans use vesting schedules (2–6 years) before the employer's money is truly yours. Always contribute at least up to the full match — anything less is declining part of your compensation.
401(k) vs Roth 401(k): which should I choose?
A traditional 401(k) is funded with pre-tax dollars: you deduct taxes now and pay ordinary income tax on withdrawals in retirement. A Roth 401(k) uses after-tax dollars: no deduction today, but qualified withdrawals — including all growth — are 100% tax-free. Rough rule: if you expect a higher tax bracket in retirement, Roth wins; if your bracket will be lower, traditional wins. Many savers split contributions to hedge against unknown future tax rates. Employer match money is always pre-tax unless it is placed in a Roth account through a formal in-plan conversion.
Can I withdraw from my 401(k) early?
Withdrawals before age 59½ generally owe ordinary income tax plus a 10% early-distribution penalty on the taxable amount. Exceptions (Rule of 55 on separation from service in or after the year you turn 55, death, disability, substantially equal periodic payments under 72(t), certain medical expenses) can waive the penalty but not the tax. Alternatively, most plans allow borrowing up to the lesser of $50,000 or 50% of your vested balance, typically repayable within 5 years — but the loan becomes taxable income with possible penalties if you leave the job and do not repay it.
What are catch-up contributions for ages 50+?
Once you reach age 50 during the calendar year, the IRS lets you defer an extra $8,000 in 2026, on top of the standard $24,500 limit — $32,500 total. From age 60 to 63 there is an even larger "super catch-up" under SECURE 2.0 (the greater of $10,000 or 150% of the regular catch-up for 2026). Catch-up contributions can lift your final balance by six figures over a 15-year career tail: extra $8,000/year invested at 7% for 15 years grows to roughly $200,000. They are optional and must be elected — they do not happen automatically when you turn 50.