How to project a 401(k) balance
A 401(k) is the closest U.S. equivalent of a defined contribution retirement plan: your employer does not promise a fixed benefit, so what you end up with depends on how much goes in and how the investments perform. This calculator grows your salary each year, applies your deferral percentage and the employer contribution percentage, caps your own deferral at the 402(g) elective deferral limit you enter, and compounds the balance at your assumed annual return.
Contributions are assumed to be made once at the end of each year, which is slightly conservative compared with contributing every paycheck. The results split out your own contributions, employer contributions and investment growth, so you can see how much of the final balance is money you put in versus market return.
Figures are on a 2026 basis. The elective deferral limit, the catch-up contribution for people age 50 and over and the 415(c) annual additions cap are all adjusted for inflation and announced by the IRS each year, which is why the limit is an editable field. Plan documents also vary: vesting schedules, true-up rules and fees all affect what you actually keep. This is a planning estimate, not a projection of guaranteed returns, so confirm your own numbers with your plan administrator and a financial professional.
Frequently asked questions
No. The 402(g) elective deferral limit applies to what you defer from your own pay. Employer matching and profit-sharing contributions fall under the separate 415(c) annual additions limit, which is much higher.
The elective deferral limit and the catch-up amount are indexed for inflation and announced by the IRS each fall. Enter the figure from the current IRS notice instead of relying on the default shown here.