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401(k) Calculator: Growth, Employer Match & 2026 Limits

Project your 401(k) balance with employer match, salary growth and the 2026 IRS limits, including catch-up contributions at 50 and the 60 to 63 limit.

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⚠️ Not financial advice. Results are illustrative only and should not be used as the basis for any investment, tax, or financial decision. Consult a qualified financial adviser or chartered accountant before acting on any figure shown.

Before taxes.

Employer match

For example 50 for 50 cents on the dollar, 100 for dollar for dollar.

For example 6 for the first 6% of pay.

After fees. Returns are not guaranteed.

Optional. 0 holds today's limits flat.

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What this 401(k) calculator does

It projects what a 401(k) could grow to by the age you retire, from your balance today, your salary, how much you defer, your employer's match, how fast your pay rises and the return you expect. It applies the IRS limits for 2026 so a contribution above the limit is cut back instead of quietly overstated, and it adds the catch-up amounts once you reach 50.

The 401(k) limits for 2026

Limit20262025
Your elective deferrals (402(g))$24,500$23,500
Catch-up, age 50 and over$8,000$7,500
Catch-up, ages 60 to 63$11,250$11,250
You plus employer (415(c)), before catch-up$72,000$70,000
Pay a plan can count (401(a)(17))$360,000$350,000

The figures come from IRS Notice 2025-67. The catch-up for ages 60 to 63 applies to people who reach 60, 61, 62 or 63 during the year, and it replaces the regular age-50 catch-up for them. Employees whose prior-year Social Security wages from the employer were above $150,000 must make catch-up contributions as Roth contributions in 2026.

Worked example: a 30-year-old with an employer match

Take a $60,000 salary rising 3% a year, a 10% contribution, a 50% match on the first 6% of pay and a 7% yearly return from age 30 to 65. The projection reaches $1,581,820: $362,772 from the employee, $108,832 from the employer and $1,110,216 of growth. Without the match it would be $1,216,785, so the match adds about $365,035 here.

You contribute (same example)First-year totalBalance at 65
5% of salary$4,500$912,589
10% of salary$7,800$1,581,820
15% of salary$10,800$2,190,213

How the match works

A typical match is a percentage of your contribution up to a share of your pay: for example 50% of what you defer, on the first 6% of pay. On a $60,000 salary that is a $3,600 base and a $1,800 match. Always defer at least what it takes to get the full match; it is part of your pay. Match formulas vary, so check your plan document.

What the projection assumes

Contributions are spread evenly through each year and earn the return you enter, compounded monthly. Salary rises once a year. The IRS limits stay at their 2026 level unless you enter a yearly rise. The result is before tax and in future dollars, so it will buy less than the same sum today. Returns vary from year to year and are not guaranteed. For other savings goals see the retirement calculator and the compound interest calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What are the 401(k) contribution limits for 2026?
For 2026 the IRS limit on your own elective deferrals is $24,500, up from $23,500 in 2025. If you are 50 or older the catch-up contribution is $8,000 (up from $7,500), so you can defer $32,500. If you reach 60, 61, 62 or 63 during 2026 the catch-up is $11,250 instead, for a total of $35,750. The overall limit on what you and your employer can add (not counting catch-up) is $72,000, up from $70,000, and the pay a plan can count is capped at $360,000. These figures come from IRS Notice 2025-67.
How does an employer match work?
The employer adds money based on what you contribute, usually a percentage of your deferral up to a share of your pay. Example: on a $60,000 salary you defer 10% ($6,000) and the plan matches 50% of contributions up to 6% of pay. The match applies to the first 6% of pay, $3,600, so the employer adds 50% of $3,600 = $1,800. To collect the whole match, defer at least the percentage the match goes up to.
How much could my 401(k) be worth at retirement?
It depends on how much you save, how long, and the return. Example: a 30-year-old earning $60,000, with salary rising 3% a year, defers 10%, gets a 50% match up to 6%, and earns 7% a year until 65. The projection reaches $1,581,820: $362,772 from the employee, $108,832 from the employer and $1,110,216 of growth. Without the match it would be $1,216,785, so the match is worth $365,035 here. Returns are not guaranteed.
What are catch-up contributions, and must they be Roth?
Catch-up contributions let people 50 and older put more into a 401(k) than the regular limit: $8,000 extra in 2026, or $11,250 for ages 60 to 63. Under the rule that applies for 2026, an employee whose prior-year Social Security (FICA) wages from that employer were above $150,000 (raised from $145,000) must make the catch-up as Roth contributions, which are not tax-deductible now. Your plan has to offer catch-up contributions, so check with it.
Does the calculator assume the IRS limits stay the same?
By default yes: it holds the 2026 limits flat, which is cautious because the IRS raises them with inflation (the deferral limit went from $23,500 to $24,500 between 2025 and 2026). If you contribute close to the limit, enter a yearly rise in the IRS limits to see the effect. The calculator cuts your contribution to the limit for your age and tells you in how many years that happened.
Is a 401(k) limit separate from an IRA limit?
Yes. The IRA limit is separate and is $7,500 for 2026 (up from $7,000), plus $1,100 if you are 50 or older. You can contribute to both in the same year, though your income and workplace plan can limit whether the IRA contribution is deductible or allowed as a Roth.

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