401(k) calculator

Updated October 18, 2026Updated for 2026 tax law

Project your 401(k) balance at retirement with your employer match, raises and investment returns — and see exactly how much a contribution changes each paycheck, using 2026 federal, FICA and state withholding.

Your age

Retirement age

Annual salary

401(k) balance

Your contribution

% of pay

2026 limit at age 30: $24,500 (32.7% of this salary)

Employer match

of what you put in

…on up to

of your salary

Salary increase

%/yr

Annual return

Inflation (for today's dollars)

%/yr

Paycheck impact

401(k) type

State

Paid

Filing status

401(k) balance at age 65

$2,190,807

$923,143 in today's dollars · 35 years of saving

Starting balance: $20,000
Your contributions: $453,466
Employer match: $136,040
Investment growth: $1,581,302
This year: you + employer: $7,500 + $2,250

Your paycheck (every 2 weeks)

Pre-tax 401(k) contribution: $288.46
Take-home without 401(k): $2,368.94
Take-home with 401(k): $2,143.94
Your paycheck shrinks by: $225.00
Taxes drop $63.46 per check

Assumes the 2026 limits ($24,500; $8,000 catch-up at 50+, $11,250 at 60–63) stay flat, contributions every month, the match on contributions up to 6% of pay, and a constant return. Paycheck figures use 2026 federal, FICA and Texas withholding.

401(k) balance by ageMoney put inGrowth

65: $2,190,807 total · $609,505 money put in · $1,581,302 growth

Year-by-year projection

Age	Salary	You	Employer	Balance
31	$75,000	$7,500	$2,250	$31,459
32	$77,250	$7,725	$2,318	$44,022
33	$79,568	$7,957	$2,387	$57,775
34	$81,955	$8,195	$2,459	$72,811
35	$84,413	$8,441	$2,532	$89,229
36	$86,946	$8,695	$2,608	$107,136
37	$89,554	$8,955	$2,687	$126,647
38	$92,241	$9,224	$2,767	$147,883
39	$95,008	$9,501	$2,850	$170,978
40	$97,858	$9,786	$2,936	$196,071
41	$100,794	$10,079	$3,024	$223,314
42	$103,818	$10,382	$3,115	$252,870
43	$106,932	$10,693	$3,208	$284,913
44	$110,140	$11,014	$3,304	$319,629
45	$113,444	$11,344	$3,403	$357,218
46	$116,848	$11,685	$3,505	$397,895
47	$120,353	$12,035	$3,611	$441,889
48	$123,964	$12,396	$3,719	$489,447
49	$127,682	$12,768	$3,830	$540,833
50	$131,513	$13,151	$3,945	$596,330
51	$135,458	$13,546	$4,064	$656,241
52	$139,522	$13,952	$4,186	$720,891
53	$143,708	$14,371	$4,311	$790,627
54	$148,019	$14,802	$4,441	$865,823
55	$152,460	$15,246	$4,574	$946,879
56	$157,033	$15,703	$4,711	$1,034,222
57	$161,744	$16,174	$4,852	$1,128,310
58	$166,597	$16,660	$4,998	$1,229,636
59	$171,595	$17,159	$5,148	$1,338,725
60	$176,742	$17,674	$5,302	$1,456,140
61	$182,045	$18,204	$5,461	$1,582,486
62	$187,506	$18,751	$5,625	$1,718,408
63	$193,131	$19,313	$5,794	$1,864,599
64	$198,925	$19,893	$5,968	$2,021,801
65	$204,893	$20,489	$6,147	$2,190,807

How to use the 401(k) calculator

Enter your age, the age you plan to retire, your salary and what's already in your 401(k).
Set your contribution as a percent of pay. The calculator caps it at the 2026 IRS limit for your age each year.
Enter your employer match from your plan documents — for example 50% up to 6%, or 100% up to 4%.
Choose a salary increase and an annual return (7% is a common long-run assumption for a stock-heavy portfolio; use 5–6% to be conservative).
Under "Paycheck impact", pick traditional or Roth, your state and pay frequency to see your new take-home pay.

2026 401(k) contribution limits

Limit	2026
Employee deferral (under 50)	$24,500
Catch-up, age 50–59 and 64+	+$8,000 ($32,500 total)
"Super" catch-up, age 60–63	+$11,250 ($35,750 total)
Total employee + employer (§415(c))	$72,000 + catch-up
Compensation counted for employer contributions	$360,000
Catch-ups must be Roth if prior-year wages exceed	$150,000

Source: IRS Notice 2025-67 (November 2025). The same deferral limit applies to 403(b), most 457(b) plans and the federal Thrift Savings Plan. Age is your age on December 31.

How the projection works

Your contribution = min(salary × your %, IRS limit for your age)
Employer match = match % × min(your contribution, cap % × salary)
Each month: balance = balance × (1 + r)^1/12 + (yours + match) ÷ 12
Next year's salary = salary × (1 + raise %)

Example: a 30-year-old earning $75,000 with $20,000 saved, contributing 10% with a 50% match up to 6%, 3% raises and a 7% return, reaches about $2,190,807 at 65 — $923,143 in today's dollars at 2.5% inflation. Of that, $453,466 is their own money, $136,040 is the match and $1,581,302 is investment growth. Limits are held at 2026 levels; the IRS raises them with inflation, so the real cap will be higher.

401(k) balance by contribution rate

Starting at $60,000 salary and $0 saved, 50% match up to 6%, 3% raises, 7% return
You contribute	10 years	20 years	30 years	40 years
6% of pay	$86,803	$287,411	$722,157	$1,631,286
10% of pay	$125,382	$415,149	$1,043,116	$2,356,303
15% of pay	$173,606	$574,822	$1,444,314	$3,262,573

How a 401(k) changes your take-home pay

Traditional 401(k) contributions come out before federal and state income tax (but not FICA), so your check shrinks by less than you save. Roth 401(k) contributions are after-tax: today's check drops by the full amount, but withdrawals in retirement are tax-free.

10% traditional 401(k), single filer in California, paid every two weeks (2026)
Salary	Contribution / check	Take-home drops	Tax saved / check
$40,000	$153.85	$129.23	$24.62
$60,000	$230.77	$189.23	$41.54
$80,000	$307.69	$214.60	$93.09
$100,000	$384.62	$264.23	$120.38
$150,000	$576.92	$384.81	$192.12

Disclaimer: Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice. Projections assume a constant return; real markets go up and down, and plan fees reduce returns. Check your plan's match formula and vesting schedule.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the 401(k) contribution limit for 2026?

$24,500 in employee deferrals. Workers 50 and older can add a $8,000 catch-up ($32,500 total), and those aged 60–63 get a $11,250 catch-up instead ($35,750). Employee plus employer contributions are capped at $72,000, not counting catch-ups (IRS Notice 2025-67).

How does a 50% match up to 6% work?

Your employer adds 50 cents for every dollar you contribute, on contributions up to 6% of your pay. On a $75,000 salary, contributing 6% ($4,500) earns a $2,250 match — a 3% raise in free money. Contributing less than 6% leaves part of the match unclaimed.

How much does a 401(k) contribution reduce my paycheck?

Less than the amount you contribute, because traditional 401(k) money comes out before income tax. For a single filer in Texas earning $75,000, a 10% contribution is $288.46 per biweekly check but take-home drops only $225.00; the other $63.46 is federal income tax you no longer pay now.

Do 401(k) contributions reduce Social Security and Medicare tax?

No. Traditional 401(k) deferrals lower federal (and most state) income tax, but FICA — 6.2% Social Security and 1.45% Medicare — is still withheld on them. Pennsylvania also taxes 401(k) deferrals at the state level.

Do high earners have to make Roth catch-up contributions in 2026?

Yes, starting in 2026 (SECURE 2.0 §603): if your 2025 FICA wages from that employer were over $150,000, any catch-up contributions must go in as Roth (after-tax). Your regular $24,500 can still be pre-tax.

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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.