Free 2026 401(k) calculator. See your balance at retirement with employer match, contribution limits, and compound growth. Includes catch-up rules.
A 401(k) calculator projects your retirement balance by combining four inputs: your annual contribution, your employer's match, your expected rate of return, and the number of years until you retire. Enter those four numbers and the tool compounds them year over year. For 2026, the IRS set the employee contribution limit at $24,500, with a $8,000 catch-up for savers age 50 and older — so the math has more room to work than it did even a year ago.
The single most important number the calculator reveals is not your ending balance. It is how much free money you collect from your employer match. A worker earning $80,000 who contributes just enough to capture a full 50%-on-6% match adds $2,400 a year to their account at zero personal cost. Compounded at 7% for 30 years, that match alone grows to roughly $227,000. Skip it and you have voluntarily declined a six-figure raise.
This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Consult a qualified financial advisor before making retirement decisions.
Using the correct limits matters because the calculator is only as accurate as its inputs. Here are the figures that apply for the 2026 tax year:
So a 45-year-old can defer $24,500 of their own salary. A 52-year-old can defer $32,500 ($24,500 + $8,000). And a 61-year-old hitting the super catch-up can shelter $35,750 in a single year — before any employer contributions are layered on top.
Matching formulas vary, but three structures cover most plans:
Here is a worked example a calculator handles instantly. Maria, age 30, earns $80,000 and contributes 10% ($8,000). Her employer matches 50% of the first 6%, adding $2,400. Her total annual contribution is $10,400. At a 7% real return over 35 years, her balance reaches approximately $1.44 million — and roughly $332,000 of that came from employer money she never had to earn.
Run the same scenario but contribute only 3%. Maria now defers $2,400 and the employer matches only $1,200. Her total drops to $3,600 a year, and her ending balance falls to about $498,000. The difference between a 3% and a 10% contribution rate is nearly $950,000 — the clearest illustration of why a calculator is worth five minutes of your time.
Small changes to the return rate swing the result more than almost any other input because of compounding's exponential nature. The S&P 500 has returned about 10.5% nominal and 7% real (inflation-adjusted) over its long history. A good calculator lets you toggle this number, and you should run at least three scenarios:
Consider $15,000 invested annually for 30 years. At 5% it grows to about $997,000; at 7% it reaches roughly $1.42 million; at 10% it balloons to nearly $2.47 million. Same contributions, wildly different outcomes. Plan around the 7% figure and treat anything above it as upside, not expectation.
Expense ratios quietly erase returns. A 1% annual fee may sound trivial, but on a $1 million balance held for 30 years it can consume more than $200,000 in compounded value. When your calculator offers a "fees" field, enter your fund's actual expense ratio. Low-cost index funds charge 0.03%–0.10%; some actively managed 401(k) options charge 0.75% or more. Subtract the fee from your assumed return — a 7% gross return with a 0.5% fee is really 6.5% net — and the projection becomes honest.
The 2026 limits are identical for both, but the tax treatment differs. Traditional contributions reduce taxable income now and are taxed at withdrawal; Roth contributions are made with after-tax dollars and grow tax-free. A 401(k) calculator that models both will show you that a younger saver in the 12% or 22% bracket often comes out ahead with Roth, while a high earner in the 32%–37% bracket frequently benefits more from the upfront traditional deduction.
High earners who want more tax-free growth than the Roth 401(k) allows should explore the after-tax contribution route. Our Mega Backdoor Roth 401(k) calculator models how to convert after-tax contributions up to the full $72,000 combined limit, and the Backdoor Roth IRA calculator covers the parallel strategy for those phased out of direct Roth IRA contributions.
A 401(k) projection assumes steady contributions and constant returns, which never happens in reality. Markets are volatile, salaries change, and you may switch jobs. Treat the output as a directional target, not a guarantee. Re-run it annually, ideally each January when new IRS limits and your raise both take effect.
The 401(k) is also rarely the only account in a complete plan. Once you capture the full match, many planners suggest funding a Roth IRA, then returning to max the 401(k). Self-employed savers can shelter far more through a solo plan — see our Solo 401(k) Contribution Calculator — and anyone with a high-deductible health plan should model the triple-tax-advantaged HSA as a stealth retirement account. If you're weighing converting traditional balances to Roth, the Roth IRA Conversion Tax Calculator estimates the tax bill before you pull the trigger.
At minimum, contribute enough to capture your full employer match — that is free money with an instant 50%–100% return. Beyond that, a common target is 15% of gross salary including the match. If you can reach the $24,500 employee limit ($32,500 with the age-50 catch-up), do so, especially in higher tax brackets where the deduction is most valuable.
The employee elective deferral limit is $24,500. Savers age 50–59 and 64+ can add an $8,000 catch-up for $32,500 total, while those aged 60–63 qualify for an $11,250 super catch-up under SECURE 2.0, reaching $35,750. The combined employee-plus-employer limit is $72,000, or $80,000 with the standard catch-up.
No. The $24,500 employee limit applies only to your own salary deferrals. Employer matching and profit-sharing contributions fall under the separate $72,000 combined ceiling. This means you can max your $24,500 and still receive thousands in employer contributions without breaching any limit.
Use 7% as a realistic inflation-adjusted (real) baseline for a diversified stock portfolio, based on the S&P 500's long-term average. Model a conservative 5% and an optimistic 10% as well so you see the range. Always subtract your fund's expense ratio from the gross return to get a net figure.
It depends on your tax bracket now versus in retirement. Younger workers and those in the 12%–22% brackets often favor Roth contributions for tax-free growth. Higher earners in the 32%–37% brackets typically benefit more from the upfront deduction of traditional contributions. Many savers split contributions between both to hedge future tax rates.
About the author: Ziv Shay writes on personal finance and retirement planning for aihowtoinvest.com, focusing on tax-advantaged accounts and evidence-based saving strategies.
Last updated: May 23, 2026. Figures reflect IRS 2026 contribution limits. This article is for educational purposes only and is not financial advice.
``` **Notes on what I built:** - **Word count:** ~1,750 words of body content. - **2026 figures used:** $24,500 employee deferral, $8,000 catch-up, $11,250 super catch-up (ages 60–63), $72,000 combined 415(c) limit. Verify these against the final IRS Notice before publishing — they reflect the announced 2026 limits but plug-in accuracy is the one thing a calculator page can't get wrong. - **Internal links (5, all to confirmed live pages from the content log):** Solo 401(k), Mega Backdoor Roth 401(k), Backdoor Roth IRA, HSA, and Roth IRA Conversion calculators — exceeds the 3+ requirement. - **Answer-first open, no filler intro**, H2 structure, worked dollar examples (Maria scenario, fee drag, return sensitivity), YMYL disclaimer at top and bottom, byline, last-updated date, and a 5-question FAQ in `The content on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Rates, terms, and offers are subject to change. We may earn a commission through affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See our full disclaimer.
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