401(k) Calculator
US-SpecificProject your 401(k) balance at retirement including employer match, with an optional start date
The date your first contribution year begins. Leave empty for ages only. With a date, each row shows the calendar months of that year and the result shows the date you reach your retirement age. The date only labels the plan; the amounts do not change.
Projected Balance at Age 65
$2,130,069
about $897,550 in today's dollars (2.5% inflation)
Starting balance
$20,000
Your contributions
$453,466
Employer match
$136,040
Investment growth
$1,520,564
Estimate assuming a constant return, contributions at year end, and a match on your actual (capped) contribution. Ignores vesting, fees and the total $72,000 employee + employer limit. Not investment advice.
Reading results never uses a trial use. Copying, saving or printing uses 1 per visit.
About 401(k) Calculator
Projects the future value of a 401(k) from your current balance, salary, contribution rate, employer match, raises and expected return, applying the IRS yearly contribution limit (including catch-up contributions from age 50) and showing the result in today's dollars as well.
Enter your ages, balance, salary and contribution rate, the employer match, an expected return and annual raise. The result separates your starting balance, your contributions, the employer match and investment growth, and lists the year-by-year balance. Add a plan start date to see the calendar months of each year next to your age and the dates the projection covers; it only labels the plan and never changes an amount.
If your employer offers a match, contributing at least enough to get all of it is usually the first priority — it is an immediate return. Raising your contribution by 1% each year is an easy way to grow it.
Watch: 401(k) Calculator in Action
- Should I contribute enough to get my full employer match?
- Generally yes — if your employer offers a matching contribution, contributing at least enough to get the full match is usually worth prioritizing before other savings goals, since it's an immediate, guaranteed return that's hard to match elsewhere.
- What is the plan start date in the 401(k) calculator?
- It is optional. Enter the date your first contribution year begins and each row of the table shows the calendar months of that year next to the age, with the start and end dates of the projection above it. Leave it empty and the table shows ages only, as before.
- Does the plan start date change the projected balance or the contribution limit?
- No. The date only labels the years. The projection still runs in whole years from your current age, and the contribution limit used is the one stated on the page, held at today's level. Use the date to see which calendar years your projection covers, not to model a change in the rules.
- What inflation rate does the 401(k) calculator start with?
- It starts at 2.5% a year, the same starting value as the FIRE calculator, and it only affects the line that shows your balance in today's dollars. Change it to match your own assumption.
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