401K Calculator
Project 401(k) saving, compare early withdrawal costs, and maximize matching contributions.
Project savings one year at a time. Starting balance plus employee contributions includes the starting 401(k) balance plus the sum of each projected year’s capped employee contribution.
Result
Retirement income uses the entered life expectancy. Annual return is effective; monthly withdrawals increase at the monthly-equivalent inflation rate. Constant returns, full vesting and no taxes or fees are assumed. This is a sustainable-withdrawal illustration, not an RMD calculation or a guarantee.
Annual iteration: the entered salary applies to the first projection year; salary increases once after each year. Each year’s employee contribution is salary × contribution percentage, capped by the limit for your age at the start of that projection year. Starting balance plus employee contributions adds the entered starting 401(k) balance once to the sum of these annual employee amounts. It excludes future investment returns and future employer matching; the starting balance may already contain past employer contributions and returns. The Employee column shows only that year’s new employee contribution.
The opening balance earns the entered annual return first, then employee and employer contributions are added at year end. All projected years use 2026 limits with age-based catch-up; future limit increases are not projected. Employer matching uses up to $360,000 of compensation; annual additions excluding catch-up are capped at the lesser of compensation or $72,000. Catch-up deferrals above the regular employee limit are excluded from that additions cap. Other employers’ plans and nondiscrimination tests are not modeled. Calculations retain full precision; displayed annual amounts are rounded.
Calculation details
Each row represents one projection year. Age is your age at year end; salary and contributions apply to that year. Balance is the account total after annual growth and year-end contributions. Amounts are in USD.
Scroll horizontally or vertically to see more. Download CSV for the complete schedule.
| Year-end age | Salary | Employee contribution | Employer contribution | Year-end balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 80,000 | 8,000 | 2,400 | 116,400 |
| 37 | 81,600 | 8,160 | 2,448 | 133,992 |
| 38 | 83,232 | 8,323.20 | 2,496.96 | 152,851.68 |
| 39 | 84,896.64 | 8,489.66 | 2,546.90 | 173,059.34 |
| 40 | 86,594.57 | 8,659.46 | 2,597.84 | 194,700.20 |
| 41 | 88,326.46 | 8,832.65 | 2,649.79 | 217,864.65 |
| 42 | 90,092.99 | 9,009.30 | 2,702.79 | 242,648.62 |
| 43 | 91,894.85 | 9,189.49 | 2,756.85 | 269,153.87 |
| 44 | 93,732.75 | 9,373.28 | 2,811.98 | 297,488.36 |
| 45 | 95,607.41 | 9,560.74 | 2,868.22 | 327,766.62 |
| 46 | 97,519.55 | 9,751.96 | 2,925.59 | 360,110.16 |
| 47 | 99,469.94 | 9,946.99 | 2,984.10 | 394,647.86 |
| 48 | 101,459.34 | 10,145.93 | 3,043.78 | 431,516.45 |
| 49 | 103,488.53 | 10,348.85 | 3,104.66 | 470,860.95 |
| 50 | 105,558.30 | 10,555.83 | 3,166.75 | 512,835.18 |
| 51 | 107,669.47 | 10,766.95 | 3,230.08 | 557,602.32 |
| 52 | 109,822.86 | 10,982.29 | 3,294.69 | 605,335.43 |
| 53 | 112,019.31 | 11,201.93 | 3,360.58 | 656,218.07 |
| 54 | 114,259.70 | 11,425.97 | 3,427.79 | 710,444.92 |
| 55 | 116,544.89 | 11,654.49 | 3,496.35 | 768,222.45 |
| 56 | 118,875.79 | 11,887.58 | 3,566.27 | 829,769.65 |
| 57 | 121,253.31 | 12,125.33 | 3,637.60 | 895,318.76 |
| 58 | 123,678.37 | 12,367.84 | 3,710.35 | 965,116.07 |
| 59 | 126,151.94 | 12,615.19 | 3,784.56 | 1,039,422.79 |
| 60 | 128,674.98 | 12,867.50 | 3,860.25 | 1,118,515.90 |
| 61 | 131,248.48 | 13,124.85 | 3,937.45 | 1,202,689.16 |
| 62 | 133,873.45 | 13,387.34 | 4,016.20 | 1,292,254.05 |
| 63 | 136,550.92 | 13,655.09 | 4,096.53 | 1,387,540.92 |
| 64 | 139,281.94 | 13,928.19 | 4,178.46 | 1,488,900.02 |
| 65 | 142,067.58 | 14,206.76 | 4,262.03 | 1,596,702.81 |
| 66 | 144,908.93 | 14,490.89 | 4,347.27 | 1,711,343.14 |
| 67 | 147,807.11 | 14,780.71 | 4,434.21 | 1,833,238.65 |
Retirement withdrawals
USD, before tax. Withdrawals start at the end of the first retirement month, increase monthly with inflation, and target depletion at life expectancy. No new contributions, RMD rules or withdrawal penalties are modeled here.
| Year-end age | Opening balance | Investment return | Annual withdrawals | Ending balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 68 | 1,833,238.65 | 106,849.06 | 116,110.88 | 1,823,976.83 |
| 69 | 1,823,976.83 | 106,214.72 | 119,013.66 | 1,811,177.89 |
| 70 | 1,811,177.89 | 105,366.19 | 121,989.00 | 1,794,555.08 |
| 71 | 1,794,555.08 | 104,286.21 | 125,038.72 | 1,773,802.57 |
| 72 | 1,773,802.57 | 102,956.38 | 128,164.69 | 1,748,594.26 |
| 73 | 1,748,594.26 | 101,357.08 | 131,368.81 | 1,718,582.53 |
| 74 | 1,718,582.53 | 99,467.42 | 134,653.03 | 1,683,396.92 |
| 75 | 1,683,396.92 | 97,265.09 | 138,019.35 | 1,642,642.66 |
| 76 | 1,642,642.66 | 94,726.37 | 141,469.84 | 1,595,899.19 |
| 77 | 1,595,899.19 | 91,825.96 | 145,006.58 | 1,542,718.56 |
| 78 | 1,542,718.56 | 88,536.92 | 148,631.75 | 1,482,623.73 |
| 79 | 1,482,623.73 | 84,830.57 | 152,347.54 | 1,415,106.77 |
| 80 | 1,415,106.77 | 80,676.38 | 156,156.23 | 1,339,626.92 |
| 81 | 1,339,626.92 | 76,041.84 | 160,060.14 | 1,255,608.63 |
| 82 | 1,255,608.63 | 70,892.35 | 164,061.64 | 1,162,439.34 |
| 83 | 1,162,439.34 | 65,191.09 | 168,163.18 | 1,059,467.25 |
| 84 | 1,059,467.25 | 58,898.88 | 172,367.26 | 945,998.87 |
| 85 | 945,998.87 | 51,974.05 | 176,676.44 | 821,296.48 |
| 86 | 821,296.48 | 44,372.26 | 181,093.35 | 684,575.39 |
| 87 | 684,575.39 | 36,046.36 | 185,620.69 | 535,001.06 |
| 88 | 535,001.06 | 26,946.19 | 190,261.20 | 371,686.05 |
| 89 | 371,686.05 | 17,018.44 | 195,017.73 | 193,686.76 |
| 90 | 193,686.76 | 6,206.42 | 199,893.18 | 0 |
How to use this calculator
Project savings one year at a time. Starting balance plus employee contributions includes the starting 401(k) balance plus the sum of each projected year’s capped employee contribution. Enter amounts in the units shown, select the applicable options, and click Calculate. Use Reset to restore the starting values.
Calculation formula
For each year: employee = min(annual salary × contribution%, age-based annual limit); employer = min(employee, annual salary × match limit%) × match%; ending balance = opening balance × (1 + annual return) + employee + employer. Starting balance plus employee contributions = starting 401(k) balance + sum of annual employee amounts.
Assumptions and accuracy
Review timing, rates, fees and result notes when comparing scenarios. Future returns and rates are assumptions rather than guaranteed outcomes. Monetary display follows the currency’s precision; intermediate calculations retain additional digits.
Year-specific parameters are documented in the calculation notes. Rule eligibility and individual circumstances can change the result.
Choose what to calculate
401k growth calculator
Project annual account growth with salary increases, employee contributions and employer matching under the documented annual limits.
Open this calculation401k contribution calculator
Review each year’s employee contribution separately from employer additions and account growth. Starting balance is shown separately from new employee contributions.
Open this calculation401k employer match calculator
Explore matching tiers using the Maximize Employer Match form. Eligibility and plan-specific rules must be checked separately.
Related searches: 401k match calculator
Open this calculation401k early withdrawal calculator
Estimate the net amount after entered income-tax rates and any modeled 10% early-distribution tax. Selected qualifying exceptions waive the additional tax, not ordinary income tax.
Open this calculationUnderstanding this calculation
The 401(k) projection grows the opening balance once per year, then adds employee and employer contributions at year end. A separate retirement schedule illustrates before-tax withdrawals.
Reading your result
- Employee contributions
- New employee deposits during the projection; the starting balance is shown separately.
- Projected 401(k) balance
- Starting savings plus modeled contributions and investment growth at retirement.
- Initial monthly retirement withdrawal
- The illustrated first withdrawal using life expectancy and inflation; it does not enforce RMD rules.
Compare two scenarios
- Change the employee contribution rate while keeping salary, retirement age and return unchanged.
- Use Maximize Employer Match to examine matching tiers before comparing higher contribution rates.
Check before comparing
- Future years hold the stated 2026 limits fixed rather than predicting future limit increases.
- Match limits describe eligible salary bands and are not the same as the employer match percentage.
- The retirement income illustration assumes full vesting and excludes taxes and fees.
Result explanations checked against this calculator’s local model. Model scope and sources appear below.
Worked examples
Withdraw a retirement balance over one year
Already retired at age 67; life expectancy 68; balance $12,000; return and inflation both 0%.
- The remaining retirement horizon is 12 months.
- No interest or inflation: 12000 ÷ 12 = 1000 at each month end.
Initial monthly retirement withdrawal is $1,000 before tax; the illustrated ending balance is zero after one year.
Try these inputsFind a steady contribution window for a two-tier match
Age 35; salary $80,000; match 100% on the first 3%, then 50% on the next 2%; fixed 2026 employee limit $24,500.
- Minimum for the full match is 3% + 2% = 5% of salary.
- Maximum steady rate without reaching the annual employee limit early is 24500 ÷ 80000 × 100 = 30.625%.
- The annual employer match is 80000 × 3% + 80000 × 2% × 50% = 3200.
Under equal-pay, full-year and no-true-up assumptions, a steady election between 5% and 30.625% earns the modeled full match.
Try these inputsUnderstand the first year of a 401(k) projection
Starting balance $100,000; salary $80,000; employee contribution 10%; employer matches 50% of contributions up to 3% of salary; annual return 6%.
- Employee contribution = 80000 × 10% = 8000.
- Employer contribution = min(8000, 80000 × 3%) × 50% = 1200.
- Year-end balance = 100000 × 1.06 + 8000 + 1200 = 115200.
The first year ends with $115,200. The employee contribution is $8,000 and the employer contribution is $1,200.
Try these inputsCommon questions
Why does life expectancy change the retirement withdrawal?
It sets the number of retirement months. A longer retirement usually requires a smaller initial withdrawal from the same balance. The retirement-date balance is unchanged; the separate withdrawal schedule changes.
What if the annual limit prevents the full employer match?
The calculator reports that no full-match contribution-rate window exists and shows the partial match at the employee limit. The window assumes equal pay, per-pay-period matching and no annual true-up. Your plan can apply additional limits.
What is Starting balance plus employee contributions?
It is the entered starting balance plus future annually calculated employee contributions. Future employer contributions and future investment returns are excluded. The starting balance itself may already contain earlier employer money and returns.
Does a 50% match with a 3% limit mean the employer pays 3%?
No. In this model the employer matches half of eligible employee contributions up to 3% of salary, so the maximum match is 1.5% of salary before other plan limits.
Does the employee contribution total include my current 401(k) balance?
Employee contributions means new employee deposits over the projection. Starting 401(k) balance is separate, and Starting balance plus employee contributions combines them once. Employer matching and investment earnings are separate components. Future projections hold the stated 2026 limits fixed.
Scope and assumptions
Future years use fixed 2026 employee limits with age-based catch-up. The projection applies the 2026 $72,000 annual-additions cap excluding employee catch-up and the $360,000 employer matching compensation cap. It does not project future legal changes, other employers’ contributions or all plan-specific limits. A separate before-tax retirement schedule uses month-end withdrawals that increase monthly with inflation and target depletion at life expectancy; it does not enforce RMD rules.
Sources
Calculation notes checked . Examples are mathematical checks under the stated assumptions.
Calculation methods and formulas
401(k) Projection
Project savings one year at a time. Starting balance plus employee contributions includes the starting 401(k) balance plus the sum of each projected year’s capped employee contribution.
For each year: employee = min(annual salary × contribution%, age-based annual limit); employer = min(employee, annual salary × match limit%) × match%; ending balance = opening balance × (1 + annual return) + employee + employer. Starting balance plus employee contributions = starting 401(k) balance + sum of annual employee amounts.
Early Withdrawal Cost
Estimate income tax and the additional early-distribution penalty.
Net withdrawal = gross − marginal income tax − applicable 10% additional tax.
Maximize Employer Match
Find a steady contribution-rate window for two matching bands without reaching the employee limit early.
Employer match = first band × first match rate + additional band × second match rate.
See our calculation methodology and review status for data versions, rounding and validation limitations.