401(k) Calculator & Employer Match Planner
Model your future retirement portfolio, employer match, tax savings, and salary growth trajectory with precision.
Full Employer Match Captured!
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Portfolio Growth Trajectory
Visual breakdown of contributions vs. compound exponential interest
Year-by-Year Amortization & Vesting Schedule
Exact breakdown of annual employee savings, sponsor matches, and interest capitalization.
| Age | Annual Salary | Starting Balance | Your Contribution | Employer Match | Annual Interest | Ending Balance |
|---|
The 401(k) Future Value & Tax Shield Formula
CalculatePilot models employer retirement plans using discrete monthly compound interest with an annual salary escalation schedule.
Contributions are deducted directly from pre-tax earnings, lowering your taxable gross income today. For an individual in the 24% federal bracket contributing $10,000, out-of-pocket take-home pay is only reduced by $7,600, giving an immediate tax subsidy.
Contributions are funded with after-tax compensation. In exchange, investment growth and qualified distributions after age 59½ (once the account is at least 5 years old) are free from federal income tax.
How this calculator works
Each month, your contribution and your employer's match are added to the balance, which compounds monthly at your expected annual return. Your salary rises by the growth rate once a year, so contributions set as a percentage rise with it. Your own contributions are capped at the IRS elective-deferral limit for your age in each year, and the employer match is calculated on the contribution you actually make.
The match is modeled the way most plans describe it: the employer contributes a percentage of your contribution, on the part of your contribution up to a percentage of salary. With "50% up to 6%", contributing 6% or more earns the full 3% of salary; contributing 4% earns only 2%.
2026 401(k) contribution limits
| Your age in 2026 | Employee deferral limit |
|---|---|
| Under 50 | $24,500 |
| 50–59 or 64+ | $32,500 ($24,500 + $8,000 catch-up) |
| 60–63 | $35,750 ($24,500 + $11,250 super catch-up) |
The calculator applies the right limit for your age in every projected year, holding the 2026 amounts flat (future limits are indexed to inflation, so this is conservative). Employer contributions don't count toward the employee limit, though a separate, higher overall cap applies to combined employee and employer contributions. Source: IRS — 2026 401(k) and IRA limits.
A worked example
A 30-year-old earning $70,000 with 3% annual raises, contributing 6% with a 50% match up to 6%, starting from $15,000 and earning 7% until 65, reaches about $1.51 million. Their own contributions total about $254,000 and the employer adds about $127,000 — the rest is compound growth on top of those deposits and the starting balance.
Notice the employer match alone contributes six figures over a career — which is why capturing the full match is often called one of the highest-value financial moves available to most workers.
Vesting schedules
Employer matching contributions are sometimes subject to a vesting schedule, meaning you only fully own the matched funds after working at the company for a certain period. Leaving before you're fully vested can mean forfeiting some or all of the employer match. This calculator assumes you are 100% vested — check your plan's schedule.
Common employer match formulas, side by side
Match formulas look similar but pay very differently. Here is what each pays a worker earning $70,000 a year at three contribution levels, using the same rules as the calculator (the employer matches a percentage of your contribution, up to a percentage of salary).
| Match formula | You save 3% ($2,100) | You save 6% ($4,200) | You save 10% ($7,000) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50% up to 6% of salary | $1,050 match | $2,100 match | $2,100 match |
| 100% up to 4% of salary | $2,100 match | $2,800 match | $2,800 match |
| 100% up to 3% of salary | $2,100 match | $2,100 match | $2,100 match |
Saving more than the matched percentage earns no extra match, but it still builds your balance and your tax benefit. Enter your own formula in the Employer Match Structure box to see the effect over your whole career.
What your balance is worth in today's dollars
The projected balance is in future dollars. To estimate its purchasing power today, divide by (1 + inflation)years. The $1.51 million in the worked example above, reached after 35 years, is worth about:
| Average inflation | Value in today's dollars |
|---|---|
| 2% | about $755,000 |
| 2.5% | about $636,000 |
| 3% | about $537,000 |
A common alternative is to subtract inflation from your expected return and enter the result (for example, 7% minus 3% inflation, roughly 4%). The projection is then in today's dollars. Likewise, the 4% draw shown under the nest egg is a rule of thumb, not a guarantee: $1.51 million at 4% is about $60,400 a year, or about $5,033 a month, before taxes.
Roth catch-up rule and the overall limit
- Overall limit. The 2026 cap on all contributions to your account from you and your employer combined is $72,000 (not counting catch-up). The calculator limits only your own deferrals, as the employer match is usually far below this.
- Roth catch-up for higher earners. If your prior-year Social Security (FICA) wages from your employer were above $150,000, your 2026 catch-up contributions must go in as Roth (after-tax) contributions. This applies only to the catch-up portion, and only if your plan offers a Roth option.
Source: PSCA summary of IRS Notice 2025-67.
What to do with your 401(k) when you change jobs
- Direct rollover. The money moves straight to a new plan or an IRA. No tax is withheld.
- Check paid to you. If the plan pays you, it must withhold 20% for federal tax, and you have 60 days to deposit the full amount (including the withheld 20%, from other funds) into a plan or IRA, or the shortfall is taxable and may incur the 10% early distribution tax.
- Leave it where it is. Many plans let you keep your balance, but check fees and investment choices.
Source: IRS, Rollovers of retirement plan and IRA distributions.
Frequently asked questions
Should I contribute enough to get the full employer match?
Generally yes — an employer match is effectively free money, and missing it is one of the most common ways people leave value on the table. The callout under your projected balance shows how much match you're capturing.
Does this account for contribution limits?
Yes. Your contributions are capped at the 2026 IRS limit for your age each year: $24,500 under 50, $32,500 from 50 (with the $8,000 catch-up) and $35,750 at ages 60–63.
What happens if I leave my job — can I keep my 401(k)?
Yes — you can typically leave it with your former employer's plan, roll it into your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA, each with different pros and cons worth researching.
Is Roth or traditional 401(k) better?
Traditional contributions reduce taxable income now with taxes owed on withdrawal; Roth contributions are taxed now but grow tax-free. The better choice often depends on whether you expect to be in a higher or lower tax bracket in retirement.
What happens to my employer match if I leave my job?
It depends on your plan's vesting schedule — some employers require a certain number of years of service before you fully own matched contributions, so check your specific plan documents.
Is there a penalty for withdrawing from a 401(k) early?
Withdrawals before age 59½ generally incur a 10% early withdrawal penalty on top of ordinary income tax, with some exceptions for specific circumstances — early withdrawal is generally discouraged given the impact on long-term growth.
How much will my employer match add over time?
It depends on the formula and your salary. At $70,000, a 50% match up to 6% pays $2,100 a year when you save 6%, and a 100% match up to 4% pays $2,800 a year. Use the Employer Match Structure box to project the total over your career.
What is the 2026 combined 401(k) contribution limit?
The IRS limit on total additions to your account from you and your employer is $72,000 for 2026, not counting catch-up contributions. Your own deferral limit is $24,500 for most workers.
Do I have to make Roth catch-up contributions?
If your prior-year FICA wages from your employer were above $150,000, your 2026 catch-up contributions must be Roth, provided your plan offers a Roth option. Lower earners can choose pre-tax or Roth catch-ups if the plan allows.
How do I see my 401(k) balance in today's dollars?
Divide the projected balance by (1 + inflation) raised to the number of years, or enter your expected return minus inflation. For example, $1.51 million after 35 years at 3% inflation is worth about $537,000 in today's dollars.
How do I roll over my 401(k) to an IRA without paying tax?
Ask for a direct rollover, so the money goes straight to the IRA. If a check is paid to you instead, 20% is withheld and you must replace it from other funds within 60 days to roll over the full amount.
Limits checked against IRS guidance for tax year 2026 · Our methodology · Last updated October 2026