A 401(k) calculator with employer match, raises and the 2026 limits
This 401(k) calculator with employer match projects how much your 401(k) could be worth at retirement. Enter your age, salary, current balance and the percentage of pay you contribute, choose your employer’s match formula, and it works through every year: raises, your deferrals, the match, investment growth, the IRS limits and vesting.
The result shows your balance by age in a chart and a five-yearly table, the total you and your employer put in, and how much free match you miss if you contribute too little. It uses the 2026 IRS limits — $24,500 of deferrals, an $8,000 catch-up from 50 and $11,250 at ages 60–63 — raised each year by a rate you choose. Everything runs in your browser; it is an estimate, not tax or investment advice.
How to use the 401(k) Calculator with Employer Match
- Enter your age this year, the age you plan to retire, your salary and your expected yearly raise.
- Enter your 401(k) balance now, the percentage of pay you contribute and an investment return after fees.
- Pick your employer’s match formula, or choose Custom and type the two tiers (for example 100% of the first 3%, then 50% of the next 2%). Add any profit-sharing contribution.
- Open “Vesting, limits and inflation” to set the vesting schedule and your years of service.
- Read the projected balance, the match you collect or miss, the chart and table; download the CSV or copy the summary.
401(k) Calculator with Employer Match features
Two-tier match formula
Presets for common formulas, or your own two tiers, with the effective match as a share of pay.
Missed-match warning
Shows the free money lost if you contribute below the rate that earns the full match.
2026 IRS limits
Elective deferral limit, age-50 and age 60–63 catch-ups, the $72,000 total limit and the $360,000 pay cap.
Vesting schedules
Immediate, 3-year cliff, 2-to-6-year graded or 25% a year, with the vested balance at retirement.
401(k) by age and over time
Chart and table by age, plus a yearly CSV and a balance in today’s dollars.
How the 401(k) projection works
Each year your salary grows by the raise, you defer your percentage of it (capped at the limit for your age), and the employer adds the match on what you defer. Contributions are spread through the year, so they earn half a year’s return: growth = (opening balance + contributions ÷ 2) × return.
Worked example: $100,000 salary, 6% contribution, match of 100% of the first 3% plus 50% of the next 2%. You put in $6,000; the employer matches $3,000 + $1,000 = $4,000, or 4% of pay. Contribute only 2% and the match falls to $2,000 — you would need 5% to collect it all.
| 2026 limit | Amount |
|---|---|
| Elective deferrals (pre-tax + Roth 401(k)), §402(g) | $24,500 |
| Catch-up, age 50 and over | $8,000 |
| Higher catch-up, ages 60–63 (SECURE 2.0) | $11,250 instead of $8,000 |
| Total you + employer, §415(c) (catch-ups extra) | $72,000 |
| Pay counted for contributions, §401(a)(17) | $360,000 |
Roth 401(k), catch-ups and true-ups
- Roth or pre-tax: Roth 401(k) deferrals share the same $24,500 limit. Pre-tax money lowers your tax now and is taxed when withdrawn; Roth money is taxed now and qualified withdrawals are tax-free. Employer match is usually pre-tax.
- Roth catch-up rule: from 2026, if your previous year’s FICA wages from the employer were over $150,000, your catch-ups must be Roth. Final IRS regulations apply from 2027, with good-faith compliance in 2026.
- True-up: if you reach the limit before December and your plan matches per paycheck, a year-end true-up restores the missing match; not every plan has one.
- Vesting: your deferrals are always yours. Employer money can vest over up to three years (cliff) or six years (graded); leave earlier and you forfeit the unvested part.
What this calculator leaves out
It ignores taxes on withdrawal, loans, hardship withdrawals, fees beyond the net return, and auto-escalation. To see if the balance is enough, use the retirement calculator; to add tax-free savings outside work, see the Roth IRA calculator; for early retirement, try the FIRE calculator; for paycheck effects, the paycheck calculator.
401(k) Calculator with Employer Match FAQ
How does a 401(k) match work?
Your employer adds money based on what you contribute, up to a share of your pay. With 100% of the first 3% and 50% of the next 2%, contributing 5% of a $100,000 salary earns a $4,000 match.
What is the 401(k) limit for 2026?
$24,500 of your own deferrals, plus an $8,000 catch-up at 50 or older, or $11,250 at ages 60 to 63. The total including employer money is $72,000, not counting catch-ups.
How much will my 401(k) be worth by age 65?
Enter your numbers above. With the defaults — age 30, $75,000 salary rising 3% a year, 6% contributions, a 3% match and 7% returns — the projection reaches about $1.8 million in future dollars, roughly $755,000 in today’s dollars.
Does the employer match count toward the $24,500 limit?
No. The $24,500 covers only your own deferrals. Employer money counts toward the $72,000 total limit.
Is this a 401(k) calculator by age?
Yes. The chart and table show your projected balance at every age to retirement, and the CSV lists each year with the vested amount.
Is this tax or investment advice?
No. It is a free projection based on your assumptions and the IRS limits as published; check your plan documents before deciding.