Daily Figures Edition No Sign-Up • Free Forever Vol. XII — No. 204
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Retirement

401(k) Calculator

Project your 401(k) balance at retirement from your contributions, employer match and expected return.

Filed by The Statistics Desk  |  Method: year-by-year compounding
e.g. 50% = 50 cents per dollar
Balance at retirement
—
Projected 401(k) value.
Breakdown
Your contributions—
Employer match—
Investment growth—
Years invested—
Show our math
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How the 401(k) Calculator Works

This calculator projects what your 401(k) could be worth at retirement. Each year it grows the current balance by your expected rate of return, then adds that year’s contributions — the slice you put in from your pay, plus whatever your employer matches. Your salary rises by the raise you enter, so your contributions grow with it.

The employer match has two parts: the match rate (how many cents per dollar your employer adds) and the match limit (the share of your pay they’ll match up to). A common plan is “50% up to 6%” — contribute 6% of pay and the employer adds another 3%. The match is free money, which is why the breakdown separates it out along with the compound growth that does most of the heavy lifting over decades.

each year: balance × (1 + return) + your contribution + employer match

Frequently Asked Questions

How much will my 401(k) be worth at retirement?

Enter your age, balance, salary, contribution rate and expected return. The calculator compounds the balance each year and adds your contributions plus the employer match, showing the projected total and how much came from growth.

How does employer matching work?

Employers usually match a percentage of what you put in, up to a share of your salary. “100% up to 4%” means they match every dollar you contribute until you hit 4% of pay. Always contribute at least enough to get the full match.

What rate of return should I use?

A long-run stock-and-bond mix has historically returned roughly 6–8% per year before inflation. Returns vary year to year, so treat any single projection as an estimate, not a promise.

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