Retirement Details
401(k) Retirement Calculator
Project your 401(k) balance with employer match and compound growth.
Uses 2026 IRS rules
Projected Retirement Balance
after 30 years
Starting with $50,000 and contributing 6% of a $75,000 salary with a 50% match on 6%, you'd have about $1,018,000 after 30 years at 7%: about $500,000 in today's money if prices rise 2.4% a year.
Typical scenario — enter your details above for your personalized estimate.
Assumptions applied
How your balance grows
Growth is back-loaded: the first 15 years take you to $307,572, while the last 15 add $710,651.
| Year | Contributions | Employer Match | Growth | Balance |
|---|
- Your contributions
- $135,000 ($4,500 a year)
- Your employer's match
- $67,500 ($2,250 a year)
- Your $50,000 today, grown
- $380,613
- Growth on what you add
- $435,110
What moves your number
- Your employer adds $0.50 per $1 you put in, up to 6% of pay: $2,250 a year, free money once vested, or about $212,537 by retirement with growth (about $104,000 in today's money).
- One more 1% of salary is $750 a year: about $70,846 more by retirement after 30 years at 7% (about $35,000 in today's money), before any added match.
Not Investment or Retirement Advice: This calculator provides estimates for educational purposes only. Projections assume constant rates of return and do not account for market volatility, sequence-of-returns risk, or changes in tax law. For personalized retirement planning, consult a qualified financial advisor.
401(k) Scenario Comparison
Understanding Your 401(k)
What is a 401(k)?
A 401(k) is an employer-sponsored retirement account where you can contribute pre-tax dollars (traditional) or, if your plan offers it, after-tax Roth dollars. Traditional contributions reduce taxable income today, and investments grow tax-deferred until withdrawal (typically age 59½+).
2026 Limits: $24,500 base, $32,500 with catch-up (50+, if your plan allows), $35,750 super catch-up (60–63, if your plan offers it).
The Power of Employer Match
Employer matching is free money once vested. A 50% match on 6% of salary means an immediate 50% return on matched contributions if your plan vests the match right away.
- Earn $75,000, contribute 6% ($4,500)
- Employer adds $2,250 (50% match)
- That’s $6,750 total — a $2,250 match, yours once vested
Compound Growth
Compound interest means you earn returns on your returns. Over decades, this creates exponential growth.
- $6,000 a year, paid at year-end, for 30 years at 7%
- You contribute: $180,000
- You earn: $386,765 in growth
Catch-Up Contributions (50+)
At age 50+, you can contribute extra to accelerate retirement savings, if your plan allows:
- Ages 50–59 or 64+: +$8,000/year
- Ages 60–63: +$11,250/year (super catch-up, if your plan offers it)
- Great if you started saving late
From 2026, if you earned more than $150,000 in Social Security wages from your employer in 2025, your catch-up contributions must be Roth (after-tax), if your plan offers catch-ups.
Go deeper: how the super catch-up for ages 60–63 works, a plan to catch up on retirement savings if you started late, and 401(k) contribution strategies by age.
401(k) Balance By Age: How Do You Compare?
Wondering if you’re on track? The balances and savings rates below are from Fidelity’s Q2 2026 Building Financial Futures analysis of 27,300 corporate plans and 25.8 million participants (balances as of June 30, 2026). The targets are from a different Fidelity source, described under the table.
| Generation | Average Balance | Avg Employee Savings Rate | Target (Salary Multiple) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen Z (roughly under 30) | $20,800 | 7.6% | 1x salary by 30 |
| Millennials (roughly 30–45) | $94,300 | 9.0% | 1x by 30, 3x by 40 |
| Gen X (roughly 46–61) | $240,700 | 10.6% | 6x by 50, 8x by 60 |
| Baby Boomers (roughly 62+) | $283,200 | 12.2% | 10x salary by 67 |
| All savers | $155,800 | 9.6% | 10x salary by 67 |
Targets: Fidelity’s savings guideline, from its Viewpoints article “How much do I need to retire?” (opens in new tab) (September 25, 2026). The multiples cover all your retirement savings, not the 401(k) alone, and assume saving 15% of income a year from age 25 including any employer match, retiring at 67, pay rising 1.5% a year faster than prices, a 45% income-replacement target, no pension, and Social Security at 67.
A small share of very large accounts pulls every average up. Across Vanguard-recordkept plans (about 1,300 plans and 4.6 million participant accounts, December 31, 2025), Vanguard’s How America Saves 2026 reports a $167,970 average participant balance against a $44,115 median. Being below the average for your generation does not mean you are behind half of your peers — compare against your own salary-multiple target instead.
Want the targets in one view? See the retirement savings by age chart — Fidelity’s salary-multiple benchmarks from 25 to 67 translated into dollars, with catch-up strategies for every decade.
Frequently Asked Questions
At minimum, contribute enough to get your full employer match — it’s free money once vested. Vanguard estimates that a typical participant should target a total contribution rate (you plus your employer) of 12% to 15%; Fidelity says to save at least 15% of income including any employer contribution. For 2026, you can contribute up to $24,500 ($32,500 if age 50–59 or 64+, if your plan allows catch-ups; $35,750 if age 60–63, if your plan offers the super catch-up).
The most common match is 50% of your contributions up to 6% of salary (effectively 3% of salary). Vanguard plans promised an average match of 4.7% of pay in 2025 (median 4.0%); a formula that pays more than that beats most. Any employer match is valuable — always contribute enough to get the full match.
Historically, the S&P 500 has returned about 10% a year including dividends, before inflation, 1928–2025 (NYU Stern (opens in new tab)). The calculator’s 7% default is an assumption you can change; it is a return before inflation. The calculator shows future dollars and does not reduce the return for fees or inflation.
If you’re 50 or older, you can contribute extra beyond the standard limit, if your plan allows. For 2026: ages 50–59 or 64+ can add $8,000 (total $32,500), and ages 60–63 can add $11,250 “super catch-up” (total $35,750) if your plan offers it. This helps accelerate savings if you started late. From 2026, if you earned more than $150,000 in Social Security wages from your employer in 2025, your catch-up contributions must be Roth (after-tax), if your plan offers catch-ups.
Priority order: 1) Contribute to 401(k) up to employer match (free money once vested), 2) Max out Roth IRA if eligible ($7,500 in 2026), 3) Return to 401(k) and contribute more. This maximizes free money and provides tax diversification.
Options: 1) Roll over to new employer’s 401(k) if the new plan accepts rollovers, 2) Roll over to an IRA (more investment choices), 3) Leave it with old employer if allowed, 4) Cash out (usually a poor choice: the money is taxable income, 20% federal tax is withheld, and a 10% additional tax applies before age 59½ unless an exception applies). If you leave your employer in or after the year you turn 55 (50 for certain public safety employees), the 10% tax does not apply to distributions from a qualified plan such as a 401(k) after that separation; this exception does not apply to IRAs. Rolling over preserves tax advantages.
Related Guides
401(k) by Age: How Much Should You Have?
See average 401(k) balances by age and whether you’re on track for retirement.
401(k) vs IRA: Which Is Better?
Compare 401(k) and IRA accounts to find the best retirement savings strategy.
401(k) Early Withdrawal Penalty Guide
Understand penalties, exceptions, and tax implications of withdrawing 401(k) funds early.
401(k) Employer Match: Amazon, Google, Microsoft & TSP (2026)
Compare 401(k) employer matches at Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Walmart, Costco and the Federal TSP, and check whether you’re getting your full match.
How to Maximize Your 401(k) Employer Match in 2026
Learn how to maximize your 401(k) employer match in 2026. Understand common match formulas, calculate your optimal contribution, and stop leaving free money on the table.
Retirement Savings by Age: How Much Should You Have? (2026 Benchmarks)
See retirement savings benchmarks by age: how much you should have at 30, 40, 50, and 60. Compare your 401(k) balance to averages and get back on track.
Roth 401(k) vs Traditional 401(k): Complete Comparison
Compare Roth 401(k) and Traditional 401(k) to choose the best retirement savings strategy based on your tax situation and timeline.
401(k) Calculator Methodology
How 401(k) growth is calculated: the future value formula, employer match math, IRS 2026 limits, and worked examples with step-by-step arithmetic.
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Sources
- IRS: 401(k) plans (opens in new tab)
- Department of Labor: FAQs about Retirement Plans and ERISA (opens in new tab)
- SEC: Compound Interest Calculator (opens in new tab)
- Fidelity Viewpoints: How much do I need to retire? (September 25, 2026) (opens in new tab)
- NYU Stern (Aswath Damodaran): Historical returns on stocks, bonds and bills, 1928–2025 (opens in new tab)
Last updated: · Figures verified