401(k) Calculator
401(k) Calculator
Project a 401(k) balance using current savings, monthly employee contributions, employer contributions, expected return, and time.
Use the 401(k) Calculator
Your results
- Projected 401(k) balance
- $0.00
- Total employee contributions
- $0.00
- Total employer contributions
- $0.00
- Estimated investment growth
- $0.00
Year-by-Year Projection
How this calculator works
- What it does
- Project a 401(k) balance using current savings, monthly employee contributions, employer contributions, expected return, and time.
- Inputs used
- The estimate uses current 401(k) balance, employee monthly contribution, employer monthly contribution or match, expected annual return (%), and years invested.
- Calculation approach
- The calculator applies the relationships defined for the 401(k) calculator to those inputs and updates projected 401(k) balance, total employee contributions, total employer contributions, and estimated investment growth.
- How to read the result
- Treat the result as a scenario based on the values entered. Compare a few reasonable inputs and consider costs, taxes, timing, or risks that the calculator does not include.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter Current 401(k) balance and Employee monthly contribution using values that match the scenario you want to evaluate.
- Enter Employer monthly contribution or match and Expected annual return (%) using values that match the scenario you want to evaluate.
- Enter Years invested using values that match the scenario you want to evaluate.
- Review the assumptions for the 401(k) calculator, especially rates, time periods, and optional amounts.
- Select Calculate to update the results, then adjust one input at a time to compare scenarios.
Understanding the Results
- Projected 401(k) balance
- The estimated value at the end of the selected period after applying the entered contributions, rates, and timing assumptions.
- Total employee contributions
- The amount added from contributions, separate from investment growth or interest.
- Total employer contributions
- The total employer contributions estimated by the 401(k) Calculator using current 401(k) balance, employee monthly contribution, and employer monthly contribution or match and the other values entered.
- Estimated investment growth
- The portion of the result attributed to growth rather than money contributed or originally invested.
Common Mistakes
- Ignoring contribution limits, eligibility rules, taxes, penalties, or account-specific restrictions.
- Comparing pre-tax and after-tax balances as though they were directly equivalent.
- Assuming current tax rates and laws will remain unchanged.
- Treating the calculator result as individualized tax advice.
Frequently asked questions
How does the 401(k) Calculator project the account balance?
It compounds the current balance monthly and adds the entered employee and employer amounts at the end of each month.
How should employer contributions be entered in the 401(k) Calculator?
Enter the estimated monthly dollar amount that will actually reach the account. Plan formulas, caps, vesting, and timing vary.
Does the 401(k) Calculator enforce contribution limits?
No. Limits, catch-up eligibility, plan rules, and laws can change. Compare contributions with current plan and authoritative guidance.
Does the 401(k) Calculator include fees, taxes, or penalties?
No. It is a nominal accumulation projection and excludes plan fees, taxes, penalties, withdrawals, loans, and changing investment returns.
Is the expected return in the 401(k) Calculator guaranteed?
No. Investment returns fluctuate and can be negative. Test a range of assumptions instead of relying on one forecast.
What does the 401(k) Calculator calculate?
Project a 401(k) balance using current savings, monthly employee contributions, employer contributions, expected return, and time. The result is based only on the inputs and assumptions shown on the page.
How should I interpret the projected 401(k) balance from the 401(k) Calculator?
Use it as an estimate for the scenario entered, not as a guarantee or personal recommendation. Test changes to current 401(k) balance, employee monthly contribution, and employer monthly contribution or match to see which assumptions have the greatest effect.