401(k) Calculator — Estimate Your Retirement Balance
Project your 401(k) balance at retirement. Input current balance, monthly contribution, employer match, years to retirement, and expected return rate.
How to Estimate Your 401(k) at Retirement
A 401(k) is the primary retirement savings vehicle for most US employees. Use the investment calculator to project your balance: enter your current 401(k) balance, monthly contributions (employee + employer match), expected annual return, and years until retirement. The compound growth over decades is the most important variable — starting early matters more than the contribution amount.
- 2024 contribution limits: $23,000/year employee contribution ($1,917/month); $30,500/year if age 50+ (catch-up)
- Employer match: Typical: 50% of first 6% of salary — always contribute enough to get the full match (it's free money)
- Expected return: Use 6–7% real return (inflation-adjusted) for long-term projections; 10% nominal as a historical average
- Time horizon: Starting at 25 vs 35 with the same contributions produces a dramatically larger balance at 65
- Traditional vs Roth 401(k): Traditional reduces taxable income now; Roth grows tax-free for qualified withdrawals
Choose the Right Variant
- This page: 401(k) calculator — balance projection with employer match
- Investment Calculators: Project any investment growth over time
- Retirement Planner: Full retirement income and spending projection
- FIRE Calculator: Financial independence retire early planning
401(k) Balance Projections (Starting at Age 30)
- $500/month contribution, 35 years, 7% return: ~$885,000
- $1,000/month, 35 years, 7% return: ~$1,770,000
- $1,917/month (max), 35 years, 7% return: ~$3,393,000
- $1,000/month starting at 40 (25 years), 7% return: ~$811,000
- Starting 10 years earlier nearly doubles the balance — the power of compound interest
- All projections assume consistent monthly contributions, real 7% return, employer match not included
Privacy and Data Handling
All calculations run locally in your browser. Your financial data is never sent to any server and is not stored.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 401(k) contribution limit for 2024?
For 2024: the employee contribution limit is $23,000/year ($1,917/month). If you're age 50 or older, you can make an additional "catch-up" contribution of $7,500, for a total of $30,500/year. The combined employee + employer contribution limit is $69,000 (or $76,500 with catch-up). These limits are indexed to inflation and typically increase each year — the IRS announces annual adjustments in October. For 2025, the employee limit increased to $23,500.
How does employer matching work?
The most common matching formula is "50% of the first 6% of your salary." This means: if you earn $80,000 and contribute 6% ($4,800/year), your employer adds 3% ($2,400/year). If you contribute less than 6%, you leave free money on the table. Some employers offer a 100% match up to a certain percentage (more generous). Always contribute at least enough to get the full employer match — it's an instant 50–100% return on that portion of your contribution. Vesting schedules determine when the matched funds are fully yours (often 3–6 years).
Traditional vs Roth 401(k) — which is better?
Traditional 401(k): contributions are pre-tax (reduces current taxable income), grows tax-deferred, withdrawals taxed as ordinary income in retirement. Roth 401(k): contributions are after-tax (no current deduction), grows tax-free, qualified withdrawals tax-free. General rule: choose Roth if you expect to be in a higher tax bracket in retirement; choose Traditional if you expect lower taxes in retirement. Many financial planners suggest using both for "tax diversification" — split contributions to hedge against future tax rate uncertainty. In 2024+, employer matches on Roth 401(k)s are also now allowed to be Roth (after SECURE 2.0).