401K Calculator
Project your 401k balance at age 65 from your current salary, contribution rate, employer match, and expected annual return.
How It's Calculated
Formula
\text{Balance} = B(1+r)^t + C\left[\frac{(1+r)^t - 1}{r}\right] \qquad C = \text{Salary} \times \frac{\text{Your \% + Employer \%}}{100}This calculator projects your 401k balance at age 65 using the standard compound-growth formula for a starting balance plus a series of equal annual contributions (an ordinary annuity, each contribution applied at year-end). Each year, your contribution and your employer's match — both calculated as a flat percentage of your current salary — are added together and grown at your expected annual return alongside your existing balance. Retirement age is fixed at 65. This calculator is distinct from the general Retirement Calculator, which lets you pick any retirement age and enter a flat dollar contribution instead of salary-based percentages.
Worked Examples
Age 30, $60,000 salary, 6% contribution, 3% employer match, $20,000 balance, 7% return
- Years to retirement: 65 − 30 = 35
- Your annual contribution: 60,000 × 6% = $3,600/year
- Employer annual contribution: 60,000 × 3% = $1,800/year
- Total annual contribution: 3,600 + 1,800 = $5,400/year
- Projected balance at 65: 20,000 × (1.07)^35 + 5,400 × [((1.07)^35 − 1) / 0.07] ≈ $960,010.77
- Total employer match captured over 35 years: 1,800 × 35 = $63,000
Zero expected return: age 40, $50,000 salary, 5% contribution, 2% match, $10,000 balance
- With a 0% return, growth adds nothing — the balance is simply the sum of the starting balance and every year's contributions
- Projected balance: 10,000 + (2,500 × 25) + (1,000 × 25) = $97,500
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the employer match modeled?
The employer is modeled as contributing a flat percentage of your salary every year, in addition to your own contribution — for example, a 3% match on a $60,000 salary means $1,800 added each year, regardless of exactly how much you personally contribute. This calculator does not model matching formulas with caps (like '50% up to 6% of pay'), vesting schedules, or IRS annual contribution limits.
Why is retirement age fixed at 65 instead of a field I can change?
This calculator specifically projects your balance at age 65, matching its intended output. If you want to project to a different retirement age with a flat dollar contribution instead of salary percentages, use the general Retirement Calculator instead.
Does this account for taxes, IRS contribution limits, or vesting?
No. This calculator projects nominal (not inflation-adjusted) growth from the contribution percentages and return rate you enter. It does not model taxes, IRS annual/catch-up contribution limits, or employer vesting schedules — all of which can affect your actual take-home 401k growth.
What does 'total employer match captured' mean?
It's the nominal (undiscounted) sum of every year's employer contribution dollar amount between now and age 65 — not its grown value at 65. It answers 'how much money did my employer put in overall,' separate from how much that money grew.