401(k) Calculator With Employer Match

Your projected balance including every dollar of employer match, and a warning if you are not contributing enough to capture it.

Annual salary$You contribute%percent of salaryCurrent 401(k) balance$Employer matches%50% = 50 cents per dollarMatch limit%up to this % of salaryYears to retirementyrsAnnual return%

Balance at retirement

$934,895

Your contribution / yr

$4,800

Employer adds / yr

$2,400

Employer total

$72,000

Projected 401(k) balance

BalanceContributed

The match is an instant 50% return on your own deferral, before any market growth. No investment offers a comparable guaranteed return, which is why capturing the full match generally comes before every other savings or debt priority except emergency cash.

Guide401(k) vs. IRA vs. RothThe main US retirement accounts, differing in who sponsors them, how much you can contribute, and whether the tax break comes now or later.

Employer matches are usually written as a rate up to a limit: 50% of your contributions up to 6% of salary, for example. That caps the employer’s contribution at 3% of salary no matter how much more you defer. Contributing less than the limit leaves part of that match unclaimed, which this calculator flags directly.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I contribute to my 401(k)?

At minimum, enough to capture the entire employer match, since anything less forfeits guaranteed money. Beyond that, many planners suggest 15% of gross income including the match, adjusted for your timeline and other savings.

What is vesting?

Employer contributions often require you to stay a certain number of years before they are fully yours. Cliff vesting grants everything at once after a set period; graded vesting releases it in increments. Your own contributions are always immediately yours.

Traditional or Roth 401(k)?

Traditional contributions reduce taxable income now and are taxed at withdrawal; Roth contributions are taxed now and grow tax free. Traditional tends to favor those in a high bracket today, Roth those expecting higher rates later, and splitting between them hedges the uncertainty.

What happens to my 401(k) if I leave?

You can leave it with the old plan, roll it into a new employer plan, or roll it into an IRA. A direct rollover avoids withholding and penalties. Cashing out before 59 and a half generally triggers income tax plus a 10% penalty.

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The balance after which compounding alone reaches your target.

Retirement Savings Calculator

Project a nest egg from contributions, match, and growth.

Calculators model hypothetical outcomes from the inputs you provide. They are informational only, not financial, investment, tax, or legal advice.