Plan Your 401(k) Future
Estimate how your 401(k) balance could grow over time based on your current savings, contributions, employer match and expected investment return.
Enter Your 401(k) Information
Enter your current 401(k) balance, contribution rate, employer match and investment assumptions to estimate your future balance.
Current Situation
Your starting pointYour Contributions
Annual contribution rateInvestment Assumptions
Expected annual returnRetirement Goal
Optional targetYour 401(k) Projection
Estimated balance at retirement
401(k) Insight
Enter your information to see how your 401(k) could grow through contributions, employer matching and investment growth.
About the 401(k) Retirement Calculator
This 401(k) calculator estimates how your retirement account could grow between your current age and your planned retirement age.
The projection considers your existing 401(k) balance, annual salary, employee contribution percentage, employer matching contribution, expected salary growth and expected investment return.
You can also enter a desired retirement income and estimated retirement duration to compare your projected 401(k) balance with an estimated retirement funding target.
The result is an estimate based on the assumptions you provide. Actual retirement outcomes can differ because investment returns, salaries, contributions, employer matching policies, taxes, fees and inflation can change over time.
How to Use the Calculator
Enter Your Details
Enter your current age, retirement age, salary and existing 401(k) balance.
Add Contributions
Enter the percentage of salary you contribute and the employer match available through your plan.
Review Results
The calculator estimates your future 401(k) balance, contributions and investment growth.
How It Works
Your current 401(k) balance is projected forward using the expected annual investment return.
Employee contributions are calculated from your annual salary and contribution percentage. Employer contributions are calculated using the employer match and the match eligibility percentage entered into the calculator.
Monthly contributions and investment growth are compounded throughout the projection period.
If salary growth is entered, future contributions can increase as the estimated salary increases.
A worker who contributes a percentage of salary to a 401(k) while receiving an employer match may accumulate retirement savings from three major sources: personal contributions, employer contributions and investment growth.
Understanding Employer Matching
Many employer sponsored retirement plans provide some form of matching contribution. The exact formula depends on the employer’s plan.
For example, a plan might match a percentage of employee contributions up to a specified percentage of salary. The employer match fields in this calculator are designed to model that type of arrangement.
Why the Match Matters
Employer contributions add money to the retirement account without requiring the employee to contribute the same amount from their salary.
Those employer contributions can also participate in investment growth over the remaining years until retirement.
401(k) Factors Worth Watching
Contribution Rate
Your contribution percentage directly affects how much money is added to your account from your salary.
Employer Match
The employer contribution can meaningfully affect long term retirement accumulation. Your actual plan documents should be used to determine the precise matching formula.
Investment Return
Investment performance can have a significant effect on a long term projection. Actual returns are not constant and can vary substantially from year to year.
Salary Growth
If your salary increases over time, a percentage based contribution can also increase, potentially increasing future retirement contributions.
Inflation
Inflation reduces purchasing power over time. A future retirement balance should therefore be considered alongside the future cost of retirement expenses.
Why Employer Contributions Can Matter
A 401(k) account can grow from more than employee contributions. Employer contributions and investment returns can both contribute to the account’s future value.
The longer money remains invested, the more time previous investment growth has to participate in subsequent growth. This is one reason long term retirement projections can become substantially different depending on the number of years until retirement.
The calculator is designed to show the mathematical effect of these assumptions rather than predict the actual future value of a particular investment account.
This calculator is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not financial, investment, tax or retirement planning advice. Actual 401(k) results depend on your plan rules, contribution limits, employer matching formula, investment performance, fees, taxes, salary changes and other factors.