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401(k) Calculator

Project your 401(k) at retirement with employer match and the 2026 IRS limits, see what an early withdrawal costs, and find the contribution that gets the full match.

Change the values and press Calculate to work out your own figures.

Balance at retirement

Enter your salary, contributions, match and expected return.

Your age now.
Before tax.
For example 10.
For example 50.
The match stops at this share of salary.
When you stop working.
Before tax.
2026: $24,500, plus catch-up from age 50; indexed with inflation.
0 if blank.
0 if blank.
For buying power at the end.
Result
Balance at retirement
$1,669,777.53
In today's money
$593,411.21
Your contributions
$453,465.61
Employer match
$68,019.84
2026 limit at your age
$24,500.00
Currency
US dollars (US rules)

At 65 your 401(k) could hold $1,669,777.53 ($593,411.21 in today's money).

Year by year
AgeSalaryYouEmployerBalance
30$75,000.00$7,500.00$1,125.00$45,725.00
31$77,250.00$7,725.00$1,158.75$57,352.25
32$79,567.50$7,956.75$1,193.51$69,943.65
33$81,954.53$8,195.45$1,229.32$83,565.04
34$84,413.16$8,441.32$1,266.20$98,286.45
35$86,945.56$8,694.56$1,304.18$114,182.38
36$89,553.92$8,955.39$1,343.31$131,332.02
37$92,240.54$9,224.05$1,383.61$149,819.61
38$95,007.76$9,500.78$1,425.12$169,734.67
39$97,857.99$9,785.80$1,467.87$191,172.42
40$100,793.73$10,079.37$1,511.91$214,234.05
41$103,817.54$10,381.75$1,557.26$239,027.11
42$106,932.07$10,693.21$1,603.98$265,665.92
43$110,140.03$11,014.00$1,652.10$294,271.98
44$113,444.23$11,344.42$1,701.66$324,974.39
45$116,847.56$11,684.76$1,752.71$357,910.32
46$120,352.98$12,035.30$1,805.29$393,225.53
47$123,963.57$12,396.36$1,859.45$431,074.87
48$127,682.48$12,768.25$1,915.24$471,622.85
49$131,512.95$13,151.30$1,972.69$515,044.21
50$135,458.34$13,545.83$2,031.88$561,524.57
51$139,522.09$13,952.21$2,092.83$611,261.09
52$143,707.76$14,370.78$2,155.62$664,463.14
53$148,018.99$14,801.90$2,220.28$721,353.12
54$152,459.56$15,245.96$2,286.89$782,167.15
55$157,033.34$15,703.33$2,355.50$847,156.02
56$161,744.35$16,174.43$2,426.17$916,585.98
57$166,596.68$16,659.67$2,498.95$990,739.75
58$171,594.58$17,159.46$2,573.92$1,069,917.51
59$176,742.41$17,674.24$2,651.14$1,154,437.94
60$182,044.69$18,204.47$2,730.67$1,244,639.36
61$187,506.03$18,750.60$2,812.59$1,340,880.91
62$193,131.21$19,313.12$2,896.97$1,443,543.86
63$198,925.14$19,892.51$2,983.88$1,553,032.88
64$204,892.90$20,489.29$3,073.39$1,669,777.53
Show the working
  1. deferral = salary × % (capped at the IRS limit)
  2. match = match % × lesser of (deferral, limit × salary)
  3. balance = balance × (1 + return) + deferral + match

Early withdrawal

Enter the amount, your tax rates and any penalty exception.

Before tax.
Exceptions are listed by the IRS (Topic 558).
Your marginal rate; 0 if blank.
Your marginal rate; 0 if blank.
0 if blank.
Result
You receive
$6,000.00
Federal tax
$2,500.00
State and local tax
$500.00
10% penalty
$1,000.00
Cost of withdrawing
$4,000.00
Currency
US dollars (US rules)

Of $10,000.00 you keep $6,000.00.

Show the working
  1. received = amount × (1 − tax rates − penalty)

Get the full match

Enter your salary and the employer's match tiers.

Before tax.
Your age now.
For example 50.
The match stops at this share of salary.
For example 20.
Upper end of the second tier.
Result
Contribute at least
6%
Full match a year
$1,575.00
Most before the 2026 limit
32.67% ($24,500.00)
Currency
US dollars (US rules)

Contribute 6% of salary to collect the full $1,575.00 match.

Show the working
  1. full match = salary × (tier 1 match × tier 1 limit + tier 2 match × (tier 2 limit − tier 1 limit))

How to use it

Enter your salary, contributions, match and expected return. Enter the amount, your tax rates and any penalty exception. Enter your salary and the employer's match tiers.

Enter amounts without commas or with them; rates are percentages (5 for 5%). Negative amounts are allowed where a sign means money paid out.

Key facts

employee deferral = salary × % (capped at the IRS limit)
match = match % × lesser of (deferral, match limit × salary)
balance = balance × (1 + return) + deferral + match, each year

Limits

The employee limit and catch-ups are per person per year across all your 401(k), 403(b) and TSP plans. Employer contributions count toward the $72,000 total limit.

Questions

How much can I put in a 401(k) in 2026?

$24,500; $32,500 from age 50, and $35,750 at ages 60–63.

Reviewed by RK Calculator Team. Updated 2026-09-26.

Formulas

employee deferral = salary × % (capped at the IRS limit)
match = match % × lesser of (deferral, match limit × salary)
balance = balance × (1 + return) + deferral + match, each year

Sources

Limitations

  • Results are estimates for planning, not offers or financial advice; lenders and banks may round, count days or time payments differently.
  • Rates are nominal annual rates compounded as you choose; payments at a different frequency use the equivalent periodic rate.

Formula version 0.1.0Reviewed