401(k) Calculator: 2026 limits, employer match and growth

See how much your 401(k) could be worth at retirement with your contributions, your employer's match, yearly raises and the 2026 IRS limits, including the catch-up for ages 50 and over.

Age	You	Employer	Balance
30	$7,500	$2,250	$36,515
31	$7,725	$2,318	$49,022
32	$7,957	$2,387	$62,589
33	$8,195	$2,459	$77,288
34	$8,441	$2,532	$93,197
35	$8,695	$2,608	$110,400
36	$8,955	$2,687	$128,983
37	$9,224	$2,767	$149,039
38	$9,501	$2,850	$170,668
39	$9,786	$2,936	$193,976
40	$10,079	$3,024	$219,075
41	$10,382	$3,115	$246,083
42	$10,693	$3,208	$275,127
43	$11,014	$3,304	$306,342
44	$11,344	$3,403	$339,872
45	$11,685	$3,505	$375,868
46	$12,035	$3,611	$414,492
47	$12,396	$3,719	$455,915
48	$12,768	$3,830	$500,320
49	$13,151	$3,945	$547,901
50	$13,546	$4,064	$598,864
51	$13,952	$4,186	$653,427
52	$14,371	$4,311	$711,823
53	$14,802	$4,441	$774,299
54	$15,246	$4,574	$841,116
55	$15,703	$4,711	$912,552
56	$16,174	$4,852	$988,905
57	$16,660	$4,998	$1,070,486
58	$17,159	$5,148	$1,157,629
59	$17,674	$5,302	$1,250,689
60	$18,204	$5,461	$1,350,040
61	$18,751	$5,625	$1,456,081
62	$19,313	$5,794	$1,569,236
63	$19,893	$5,968	$1,689,954
64	$20,489	$6,147	$1,818,712

How to use the 401(k) calculator

Enter your age, the age you plan to retire, your salary and what's already in your 401(k).
Enter the percentage of pay you contribute and your employer's match: the match rate (for example 50%) and the most of your pay it applies to (for example 6%).
Choose an expected yearly return. It's an assumption; markets go up and down.
Optional: set your yearly raise and inflation, to see the balance in today's dollars.

2026 401(k) limits

IRS Notice 2025-67
Age in 2026	Your contribution limit
Under 50	$24,500
50 to 59, and 64 or over	$32,500 ($24,500 + $8,000)
60 to 63	$35,750 ($24,500 + $11,250)

The total going in from you and your employer is capped at $72,000 (plus any catch-up), and only the first $360,000 of pay counts for the plan. The calculator keeps these limits at 2026 levels for later years; in practice the IRS raises them with inflation.

How it's worked out

Each year your contribution is your percentage of that year's salary, capped at the limit for your age. Your employer adds its match rate on your contributions up to its percentage of pay. Both go in monthly, and the balance grows at your yearly return compounded monthly: a monthly rate of (1 + r)^1/12 − 1, so a full year earns exactly r.

Worked example

Age 30, salary $75,000, 10% contribution: you put in $7,500 in the first year.
Match: 50% of your contributions up to 6% of pay (6% × $75,000 = $4,500), so your employer adds $2,250.
At 6% a year the monthly growth rate is 1.06^1/12 − 1 = 0.4868%.
With 3% raises and $25,000 to start, after 35 years you'd have $1,818,712: $453,466 from you, $136,040 from your employer and $1,204,207 of growth (on top of the $25,000). In today's dollars, with 2.5% inflation, that's $766,353.

Tips

Contribute at least enough to get the full match.
Raise your percentage with each pay rise, so your take-home pay doesn't fall. See what a change does to your paycheck with the US tax calculator.
Compare with a savings target using the retirement calculator and the inflation calculator.

Limits from IRS Notice 2025-67 and the IRS announcement; early withdrawals from IRS Topic 558. Checked 2 October 2026. An estimate, not financial advice: returns aren't guaranteed and your plan's rules may differ.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 401(k) contribution limit for 2026?

$24,500 of your own pay. If you're 50 or older you can add a catch-up of $8,000 ($32,500 in all), and at ages 60 to 63 a larger catch-up of $11,250 ($35,750). Your contributions plus your employer's can't exceed $72,000, not counting catch-up.

How does an employer match work?

A common formula is "50% of what you put in, up to 6% of your pay". On a $75,000 salary, contributing 6% ($4,500) gets you $2,250 from your employer; contributing 3% gets only $1,125. Not contributing at least up to the match limit leaves free money on the table. Employers only match on pay up to $360,000.

How much will my 401(k) be worth when I retire?

It depends mostly on how much goes in and the return. Starting at 30 with $25,000, a $75,000 salary rising 3% a year, 10% contributions and a 50% match up to 6%, a 6% yearly return gives about $1,818,712 at 65, or $766,353 in today's dollars with 2.5% inflation. Contributing 3% instead gives $755,192.

Do I have to make catch-up contributions as Roth?

From 2026, if your FICA wages from that employer were over $150,000 the year before, your catch-up contributions must be Roth (after-tax). Your regular contributions up to $24,500 can still be pre-tax.

Can I take money out before I retire?

Withdrawals from a traditional 401(k) are taxed as income, and taken before age 59½ they usually add a 10% additional tax. There are exceptions, for example if you leave your employer in or after the year you turn 55. Loans and hardship withdrawals depend on your plan's rules.