401(k) Calculator
Free · no sign-up · reviewed September 2026
Your 401(k) is probably the biggest wealth-building tool you have, especially if your employer matches. This calculator projects what your balance could grow to by retirement, and shows how much of that is free match money versus your own savings versus pure growth.
Set your salary, what you contribute, and your employer's match, then watch decades of compounding stack up. The blue band is money your employer hands you for free, so make sure you're capturing all of it.
Drag to adjust
Your numbers
Percent of your pay you put in each year
50% means 50¢ for every $1 you put in
Average yearly pay increase
Your numbers save automatically on this device. The link opens this calculator with these exact numbers filled in, so you can bookmark a scenario or send it to someone. Printing gives you a clean sheet of just your numbers and the answer.
Your 401(k) at age 65
$1,385,969
$97,489 of that is free employer match
💡 Over 35 years, you'd put in $194,978, your employer would add $97,489 in matching for free, and investment growth would contribute $1,068,501. That growth ends up being the biggest piece, which is the whole point of starting early.
$194,978
You contribute
over the years
$97,489
Employer adds
free match
$1,068,501
Growth
from compounding
- Your money$219,978
- Employer match$97,489
- Growth$1,068,501
- Years until retirement
- 35
- Your contributions
- $194,978
- Employer match
- $97,489
- Investment growth
- $1,068,501
- Balance at retirement
- $1,385,969
401(k) Calculator · Far Better Off
https://farbetteroff.com/calculators/401k-calculator
Open that link to get this calculator back with these exact numbers. Estimates for education only — Far Better Off is not a lender or a financial advisor, and these results are not financial advice.
📈 Track your 401(k)
Log your balance once a month. Markets bounce around, but over a year the line tells you whether you're on pace. Everything stays on this device only.
The reminder button downloads a calendar event (works with Apple and Google Calendar) that nudges you once a month. No email, no account.
The 2-minute guide
Always get the full match first
If your employer matches, say, 50% of your contributions up to 6% of pay, then contributing at least 6% earns you an instant 50% return on that money. Nothing else in investing is that guaranteed. Before paying down low-rate debt or investing elsewhere, contribute enough to grab every dollar of the match.
Raise your contribution with every raise
The easiest way to save more without feeling it: bump your contribution by 1% each time you get a raise. You never see the money hit your checking account, so you never miss it, and the effect on your final balance is enormous thanks to compounding.
After 50, the catch-up is the biggest lever you have
In the year you turn 50 the IRS lets you defer $8,000 more than everyone else, and for the four years you turn 60 through 63 it is $11,250 more. That is the one time the rules let you save faster rather than slower, and it lands exactly when the mortgage is often gone and the kids are grown. Your plan has to offer it, so check, and raise your contribution percentage the same year — the higher cap does nothing on its own.
Growth eventually dwarfs contributions
Early on, your balance grows mostly from what you and your employer add. But give it 20 or 30 years and the green 'growth' band takes over. That's compounding doing the heavy lifting, and it's why time in the market beats trying to time it.
This is a projection, not a promise
Real returns swing year to year, and a 7% average includes some ugly years mixed with great ones. Treat the final number as a motivating estimate, revisit it yearly, and lean toward saving a little more than you think you need.
Frequently asked questions
How much will my 401(k) be worth at retirement?
It depends on your salary, how much you contribute, your employer match, your investment return and how many years you have. As a rough example, contributing 6% of a $65,000 salary with a 50% match and 7% returns for 35 years can grow to well over $1 million. Enter your own numbers above for a personalized projection.
How much should I contribute to my 401(k)?
At an absolute minimum, contribute enough to get your full employer match, since that's free money. A common target is 15% of your income toward retirement (including the match). If you can't hit that yet, start where you can and increase 1% at a time.
What is the 401(k) contribution limit?
For 2026, employees can contribute up to $24,500 of their own pay. From the year you turn 50 you can add an $8,000 catch-up, for $32,500, and for the four years you turn 60, 61, 62 and 63 that catch-up is $11,250 instead, for $35,750 (IRS Notice 2025-67). Employer match dollars don't count toward the limit. The cap usually rises a little each year with inflation.
Does this calculator include catch-up contributions?
Yes, and it applies them year by year from the age you enter: the year you turn 50 your cap rises to $32,500, at 60 to $35,750, and at 64 it drops back to $32,500 because the higher band only covers ages 60 to 63. The projection only matters if your contribution percentage would actually reach the cap — under it, nothing changes. Two things it doesn't model: it holds the 2026 limits flat for every future year, since a later year's figure isn't published yet, and it assumes your plan offers catch-up contributions, which they are permitted but not required to do.
What return should I assume for my 401(k)?
Many long-term projections use 6–7% per year for a stock-heavy portfolio. Returns are never guaranteed and vary a lot year to year, so it's wise to run a lower rate too and see how the result changes.
Related calculators
Related guides
Embed this calculator
Free to use on your own site. Paste this where you want it to appear:
<iframe id="calcwise-401k-calculator" src="https://farbetteroff.com/embed/401k-calculator" title="401(k) Calculator by Far Better Off" width="100%" height="2140" frameborder="0" style="border:0;max-width:600px;width:100%" loading="lazy"></iframe>
<script>window.addEventListener("message",function(e){if(e&&e.data&&e.data.type==="cw-embed-height"&&e.data.slug==="401k-calculator"){var f=document.getElementById("calcwise-401k-calculator");if(f){f.style.height=e.data.height+"px"}}});</script>
<p style="font:13px/1.4 system-ui,sans-serif;text-align:center;margin:6px 0">Powered by <a href="https://farbetteroff.com/calculators/401k-calculator" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Far Better Off</a></p>The little “Powered by Far Better Off” link keeps it free. Thanks for the credit!
Need a dark theme, a compact version for a sidebar, a different width or your own starting numbers? Customize it in the embed builder →
Or set them by hand — every field on 401(k) Calculator, with the name to use and the values it takes: Starting-values reference →
On WordPress? One line instead of three.
With the free Far Better Off plugin installed, this shortcode is the same widget — and nothing for your editor or theme to strip:
[calcwise slug="401k-calculator"]Download the plugin → Free, no account, and it adds a Far Better Off block too.