401k Calculator
Project how your 401k can grow — enter your current balance, monthly contribution, employer match, expected annual return and years to retirement to see the future value.
What is a 401k calculator?
A 401k calculator projects the future value of a US 401(k) retirement account. A 401k is an employer-sponsored plan where you put part of your paycheck into tax-advantaged investments, and many companies add an employer match on top of what you save. This free 401k calculator takes your current balance, your monthly contribution, your employer match percentage, an assumed annual return, the number of years left and your current age. It then shows the projected balance at retirement, how much of that came from contributions, and how much came purely from investment growth.
The math uses monthly compounding while adding new contributions each month, so your earnings keep building on earlier earnings. Run your own numbers, compare a couple of contribution levels, and see how much a small monthly increase makes across a long career.
How to use
- Enter your current 401k balance.
- Set your monthly contribution and your employer's match percentage.
- Enter an expected annual return and how many years until retirement.
- Add your current age so you can see your retirement age.
- Click Calculate 401k to see your projected balance.
How the projection is calculated
Balance = Balance × (1 + r/12) + Monthly contribution × (1 + match%) r = the annual return you assume
Each month the existing balance earns a month's worth of return, then both your contribution and the employer match are added. Over many years this compounds, which is why growth can end up being a bigger share of your final balance than the money you actually put in.
Example
With the defaults — a $25,000 current balance, $500 saved monthly, a 50% employer match (so $250 extra each month, $750 total), 7% annual return, 30 years and a 30 year old — the projection grows to about $1,118,000 by age 60. Of that, $295,000 comes from your contributions and employer match, while the remaining $823,000 is investment growth. Now raise the monthly contribution to $1,000 and watch the final balance climb even higher — proof that a higher monthly deposit compounds into a much larger outcome.
Common use cases
- Retirement planning: see whether your current saving rate puts you on track.
- Match awareness: quantify the value of capturing your full employer match.
- Contribution goals: test how a higher monthly deposit changes the outcome.
- Early start: compare starting at 25 versus 40 to underline the power of time.
Pro tips
- Capture the full match first: it is an instant return you should never leave on the table.
- Raise your savings rate yearly: small increases each year compound dramatically.
- Run a range of returns: test 5% to 8% to see how sensitive your balance is.
- Assumed returns are not guaranteed: this is a projection, not a promise.
FAQ
How is a 401k balance projected?
The calculator compounds monthly at your assumed annual return while adding your and your employer's contributions, so growth rides on top of prior growth.
What is an employer match?
An employer match is money your company adds to your 401k, usually a percentage of what you contribute. It is free money on top of your own deposit.
Is the projected 401k balance guaranteed?
No. The projection assumes a steady annual return, but actual returns vary year to year and are never guaranteed.
What is a good rate of return to assume?
Many planners use 6% to 8% as a long-run expectation for a diversified stock-heavy portfolio, after adjusting for some inflation.
How does compound growth help a 401k?
Earnings generate their own earnings over time. The longer you invest, the larger the proportion of your balance that comes from growth rather than contributions.
What is the 401k contribution limit?
The employee contribution limit is around $23,000 for 2024, with catch-up contributions allowed for those 50 and older.
Should I contribute enough to get the full match?
Almost always yes. The employer match is an immediate return on your money, so missing it is one of the most common and costly 401k mistakes.
Does the employer match count toward my limit?
The match itself does not count against your annual employee contribution limit, but combined employer and employee contributions have a separate total cap.
Are 401k contributions pre-tax?
Traditional 401k contributions are pre-tax, which reduces your taxable income now, but the withdrawals in retirement are taxed.
Is this 401k calculator free?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser and no data is uploaded anywhere.
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