401(k) Calculator

Interactive tool

The live form, validation, and result state for 401(k) Calculator load after the page scripts run. The content below summarizes how the tool works and links to related pages in the catalog.

Estimate 401(k) growth using salary, employee contribution rate, employer match, salary growth, inflation, and long-run investment-return assumptions.

How to use 401(k) Calculator

1. 1

   Enter your inputs into the 401(k) Calculator form.

2. 2

   Adjust optional settings so the scenario matches your real-world case.

3. 3

   Review the result, then tweak one variable at a time to compare outcomes.

4. 4

   Keep your best scenario as a baseline for future decisions.

Financial calculators provide directional estimates. Confirm decisions with current lender, tax, or regulatory details.

Best use cases

When to use this vs related tools

• Use 401(k) Calculator when payroll deferrals, employer match, and salary growth are central to the retirement decision.
• Use Retirement Calculator when you want a broader retirement-income target and funding-gap view across all savings, not just a workplace plan.
• Use Compound Interest Calculator for a simpler one-account growth estimate without employer match or salary-linked contributions.
• Use Paycheck Calculator when you need to understand near-term paycheck impact from changing contribution rates.

Worked example

Match-focused contribution example

An employee can see how much extra retirement value comes from contributing at least enough to capture the available employer match.

• Start with annual salary and current 401(k) balance, then enter the employee contribution rate.
• Add the employer match rate and the salary percentage the match applies to.
• Review the first-year match and the long-run balance to see whether the current contribution rate is fully using the benefit.

401(k) planning is stronger when employee savings rate and employer match are evaluated together instead of separately.

Methodology

• The calculator estimates first-year employee and employer contribution amounts from salary, contribution rate, match rate, and match cap.
• It then projects long-run growth by treating those contributions as recurring monthly additions that increase with salary growth over time.
• Inflation-adjusted output shows the purchasing power of the projected balance rather than only the future nominal account value.