401(k) Calculator

Project your 401(k) through retirement age with optional employer match, annual salary growth, and an IRS-style employee deferral cap. Then see a rough monthly payout over your retirement years. Not tax advice; mainly for U.S. plan-style thinking.

Plan inputs

Basic

Current age

Current annual salary ($)

Current 401(k) balance ($)

Your contribution (% of salary)

Employer match (% of matched deferrals)

Employer match on deferrals up to (% of salary)

IRS employee deferral limit ($/year, approximate)

Projections

Expected retirement age

Life expectancy

Expected salary increase (%/year)

Expected annual return while working (%)

Expected inflation (%/year)

Expected annual return in retirement (%)

How the projection works

Each year, your contribution (a percentage of salary, capped at the IRS deferral limit) and your employer's match (a percentage of the deferrals that fall under the match cap) are added to the account monthly, then compounded at your expected annual return. Salary is assumed to grow at the raise rate you enter each year until retirement. After retirement, the balance is drawn down as a level monthly payment sized so it lasts exactly from retirement age to life expectancy, using a real (inflation-adjusted) rate of return.

Frequently asked questions

Does this account for taxes? No. Traditional 401(k) contributions and growth are tax-deferred, and withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income; Roth 401(k) contributions are after-tax with tax-free qualified withdrawals. This calculator shows gross account balances only — your actual spendable amount will be lower after taxes.

What if my employer match is dollar-for-dollar instead of a percentage? Enter 100% for the match percentage, and set the match cap to the percentage of salary your employer matches up to.

Why does the IRS deferral limit matter? Once your annual contribution reaches the limit, additional deferrals aren't possible in a given year even if your contribution percentage would otherwise produce a larger number — the calculator caps employee contributions accordingly.

Is 7% a realistic return assumption? It's a commonly used long-run average for a diversified stock/bond portfolio, but actual returns vary significantly year to year. Try both a conservative and an optimistic rate to see the range of outcomes.