401(k) calculator with employer match

2026 401(k) limits

These limits are for your own contributions, traditional and Roth together. Your employer’s match does not count toward them. The calculator applies the right limit for each year of your age and stops your contribution when you reach it. Future limits are held at 2026 levels; the IRS usually raises them with inflation, so a real balance could be higher. From 2026, if your wages from the employer last year were above an IRS threshold, catch-up contributions have to go in as Roth (after-tax) money.

How the employer match works

A common formula is “50% of what you contribute, up to 6% of pay.” If you earn $75,000 and put in 6% ($4,500), your employer adds $2,250. If you put in only 3%, the match drops to $1,125. Contributing at least up to the match limit is the easiest raise most people can give themselves, and the calculator tells you if you are below it. Many plans also have a vesting schedule, so employer money may only become fully yours after a few years.

How the projection works

Each year we add your contribution and the match in 12 monthly installments and grow the balance at the rate you choose, compounded monthly. Your salary rises by your yearly raise. The result is in future dollars; we also show it in today’s dollars assuming 2.5% inflation. Investment returns vary from year to year and can be negative, and fees reduce growth, so treat the projection as a rough guide, not a promise.

Sources

• IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026

Figures last checked against these sources on November 4, 2026. This tool gives an estimate for planning, not tax, legal or financial advice.