Calculator details
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Your results
Estimated results based on the values and assumptions you entered.
Estimate
Calculator-specific details based on your current inputs
Formula & calculation method
Employee deferrals are capped at the entered annual elective-deferral limit. Employer match = match rate × the lesser of employee deferrals and salary × match-eligible salary percentage. Contributions are projected monthly with salary growth.
Formula version 3.0 · Intermediate calculations use full precision; displayed values are rounded for readability.
Project a US 401(k) balance while accounting for employee contribution, employer match assumptions and an editable annual employee deferral limit.
Use 401(k) Calculator for the decision it actually answers
Separate your own contribution from employer money. A match such as 50% of contributions up to a stated share of pay is different from a flat percentage of salary.
The 401(k) calculator combines a growth projection with account rules, and those two layers should not be confused. A balance projection can be mathematically sound even when a planned contribution would exceed personal eligibility or available room.
Inputs that change the 401(k) calculator result
Use the values shown in the calculator as the working assumptions. The calculator returns the result shown in the result panel. Enter figures from the same point in time and use one currency throughout; mixing an old balance with a new rate or a monthly figure with an annual figure can make an otherwise correct formula answer the wrong question. This interpretation applies specifically to the 401(k) Calculator and its registered inputs.
Enter salary, employee contribution rate, employer match terms and the annual employee deferral limit separately. A match formula is not the same as an employee contribution limit, and employer contributions can be subject to different plan and statutory limits.
How the math works
Calculation used: Employee deferrals are capped at the entered annual elective-deferral limit. Employer match = match rate × the lesser of employee deferrals and salary × match-eligible salary percentage. Contributions are projected monthly with salary growth.
The formula converts the entered assumptions into the outputs shown above. For 401(k) calculator, the important point is to keep the rate, time unit and cash-flow timing consistent with the formula rather than treating the displayed percentage or payment as a standalone fact.
How to interpret the result without over-reading it
With 401(k) calculator, headline annual limits are reference points rather than automatic personal allowances. Age, income, employer contributions, carry-forward provisions or plan rules may change the amount that applies to an individual.
IRS limits, catch-up rules, plan eligibility, vesting and match formulas can change; verify current plan documents and IRS guidance.
A better way to compare scenarios
Where this calculation can differ from real life
Long-range 401(k) calculator results should be read as scenarios rather than promises. Fees, taxes, changing contribution rates and uneven investment returns can all alter the eventual balance.
IRS limits, catch-up rules, plan eligibility, vesting and match formulas can change; verify current plan documents and IRS guidance. Keep provider statements, tax rules, account rules or legal disclosures as the final authority whenever they apply.
Authoritative references
Questions specific to 401(k) calculator
What decision should this result support?
Separate your own contribution from employer money. A match such as 50% of contributions up to a stated share of pay is different from a flat percentage of salary.
What can make the real-world number different?
IRS limits, catch-up rules, plan eligibility, vesting and match formulas can change; verify current plan documents and IRS guidance.
What is the safest way to use the estimate?
Use the 401(k) Calculator to compare plausible scenarios, then verify the external inputs that control the decision. For this calculation, the most important discipline is to keep the inputs internally consistent and to avoid treating an assumed rate, future value or provider rule as guaranteed.