401(k) Calculator
Project your 401(k) balance at retirement including employer match, contribution increases, and fees.
Your details
Employer
Percent of YOUR contribution that the employer matches
Assumptions
This calculator runs entirely on your device. Nothing you enter is uploaded, stored, or sold. How this works
Balance at age 65
$2,338,656
After 30 years at 6.65% net of fees
Includes your inputs, the full breakdown, and every row of the table.
Your contributions
$523,330
Employer match
$156,999
Free money, if you claim it
Investment growth
$1,573,328
First-year contribution
$11,000
$423.08 per biweekly paycheck
What this means
- You are contributing at least up to the full employer match.
- Fees of 0.35% per year reduce the final balance by roughly $450,531 versus a zero-fee fund.
How the 401(k) calculation works
A 401(k) projection is driven by four things: how much you put in, how much your employer adds, how long the money compounds, and what the funds cost you. Of those, the employer match is the only one with an immediate guaranteed return — a 50% match is a 50% instant gain on every matched dollar.
Fees are the quiet variable. The difference between a 0.05% index fund and a 0.85% actively managed fund looks trivial on a statement, but compounded across thirty years it routinely costs six figures. The chart above uses your return net of the fee you enter.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I contribute to my 401(k)?
At minimum, enough to capture the full employer match. A common target is 15% of gross income across all retirement accounts, including the match. The 2025 employee deferral limit is $23,500, with an additional $7,500 catch-up at age 50 and up.
What return should I assume?
The S&P 500 has averaged roughly 10% nominal and 7% after inflation over long periods, but with enormous variation. Using 6-7% keeps projections honest, and running a 4% scenario shows how much cushion you have.
Related calculators
FIRE Calculator
Find your financial independence number and the year you can retire early, based on savings rate and spending.
RetirementRetirement Income Calculator
See how long your portfolio lasts, how much you can withdraw each year, and where Social Security fits in.
RetirementRoth Conversion Calculator
Estimate the tax cost of converting traditional IRA money to a Roth and compare long-run after-tax outcomes.
RetirementDividend Income Calculator
Project dividend income, reinvestment growth, and yield on cost over time.
RetirementSpotted a problem, or want this calculator to do more?Corrections are fixed first, and the most-requested features get built next.Tell us →
Disclaimer. This calculator is provided for general information and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, legal, medical, or engineering advice. Results are estimates based on the inputs you provide and the assumptions described above. Confirm any figure with a qualified professional before acting on it.