401(k) calculator

See what your 401(k) could grow to by retirement. It adds your employer's match, applies the 2026 IRS limits and catch-ups, and shows every year.

By the Calcist team · Checked against known answers · Updated October 27, 2026

Private: calculated on your device. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.

Estimates for planning, not financial, tax or legal advice. Figures use US rules unless the page says otherwise.

Next: Saving outside work too? Check your Roth IRA limit. Near retirement? See your required minimum distributions.

2026 401(k) limits

Limit	2026
Employee contributions (pre-tax and Roth combined)	$24,500
Catch-up, age 50 or older	+$8,000 (total $32,500)
Catch-up, ages 60 to 63	+$11,250 (total $35,750)
Total from you and your employer (excluding catch-up)	$72,000
Pay that counts toward contributions and match	$360,000

The age is the age you reach by December 31. From 2026, if you earned more than $150,000 in FICA wages from your employer in 2025, your catch-up contributions must go in as Roth.

How it's calculated

Your contribution = min(your % × pay, limit for your age)
Match = match rate × min(your contribution, match cap % × pay)
Balance next year = balance × (1 + r) + (contributions ÷ 12) × r ÷ i

Contributions go in monthly. i is the monthly rate that compounds to your yearly return: i = (1 + r)^1/12 − 1. Pay counted for contributions and match is capped at $360,000.

Worked example

A 35-year-old earning $75,000 puts in 6%, which is $4,500, well under the limit. The employer matches 50% of the first 6% of pay: 50% × $4,500 = $2,250. That's $6,750 a year going in, growing as raises lift the salary.

Limits of this projection

The limits stay at 2026 levels for every future year. In practice they rise with inflation, so if you plan to max out, you could put in more than shown.
Returns are the same every year. Real markets go up and down, and fees reduce returns.
Balances are in future dollars before tax. Withdrawals from a traditional 401(k) are taxed as income. Use the inflation calculator to think in today's money.
Vesting, true-up matches, profit sharing and after-tax contributions aren't included.

Sources

IRS Notice 2025-67 – 402(g), catch-up, 415(c) and compensation limits for 2026
IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026

How we checked this

Before every update, this calculator is run in a real browser with these known answers, and it must match all of them:

Age 30 to 65, $60,000, 3% raises, 6% with 50% match up to 6%, $10,000 now, 7%: $1,201,872 ✓
Age 55 to 65, 30% of $150,000 capped at the catch-up limits: $338,000 from you ✓
$500,000 salary: pay capped at $360,000, $24,500 + $21,600 match = $46,100 ✓

Last checked October 26, 2026. Spotted something wrong? The math is done in your browser with the formula shown on this page, so you can check any result by hand.

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Questions people ask

What is the 401(k) limit for 2026?

$24,500 for your own contributions. If you're 50 or older by the end of the year you can add $8,000, or $11,250 if you're 60 to 63. Your contributions plus your employer's can't exceed $72,000, not counting catch-up.

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

Your employer adds 50 cents for each dollar you put in, on up to 6% of your pay. To get the full match, put in at least 6%. On $75,000, that's $4,500 from you and $2,250 from them.

What is the age 60 to 63 catch-up?

From 2025, people who turn 60, 61, 62 or 63 during the year can make a larger catch-up: $11,250 in 2026 instead of $8,000.

Is my 401(k) balance taxed?

Traditional 401(k) money is taxed as income when you withdraw it. Roth 401(k) money comes out tax-free in retirement if the rules are met.

Related calculators

Roth IRA calculator2026 Roth IRA limit with the income phase-out, plus growth.Retirement calculatorWhat your savings grow to and the income they can pay for life.RMD calculatorRequired minimum distribution from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table.Compound interest calculatorGrowth with monthly deposits, daily to yearly compounding.