Updated · Built and checked by the PlinzoTools team, formulas tested against published sources
Project your 401k balance including employer match, from your salary, contribution rate, and match terms.
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A 401k's real growth depends on more than just your own contribution -- employer matching is effectively free additional money, up to whatever limit your employer's plan sets. This calculator models both pieces together, a fuller picture than a generic savings projection.
Enter your annual salary, your contribution rate as a percentage of salary, your employer's match rate (e.g., 50% means they add $0.50 per dollar you contribute), the match limit (the maximum percentage of salary they'll match), your expected annual return, years to retirement, and your current 401k balance.
Your Contribution = Salary × Contribution %
Employer Match = Salary × min(Contribution %, Match Limit %) × Match Rate %
Total Annual Contribution = Your Contribution + Employer Match
That combined annual contribution then grows using the same compounding formula as the Savings Calculator.
Always contribute at least enough to capture your full employer match if your plan offers one -- it's an immediate, guaranteed return on that portion of your contribution that no market investment can match. This calculator assumes a simple "match X% up to Y% of salary" structure; check your specific plan's exact match formula, since some are tiered (e.g., 100% of the first 3%, 50% of the next 2%).
Take the hypothetical case above: $80,000 salary, 6% contribution, 50% match up to 4%. You put in $4,800 a year and the employer adds $1,600, so $6,400 goes in annually. Note what the match limit does. You contribute 6%, but only the first 4% earns a match. If you had contributed 3%, the match would be 50% of 3% of salary, or $1,200, and if you had contributed 8%, the match would still be capped at $1,600. Raising your own rate beyond the limit still helps your savings, but it stops adding employer money.
These two fields are easy to mix up. The match rate is how many cents the employer adds per dollar you contribute. The match limit is the ceiling on your contribution, as a share of salary, that the employer will match. A plan described as "100% match up to 3%" means match rate 100 and limit 3. A plan described as "50% of the first 6%" means match rate 50 and limit 6. The maximum match is always salary times the limit times the match rate, so you can check the result by hand.
The projection does not distinguish between pre-tax and Roth contributions. The balance grows the same way either way. What differs is taxation: pre-tax dollars are typically taxed when withdrawn, while Roth dollars are taxed up front. Also, employer matching contributions are commonly placed in a pre-tax bucket, though plan rules vary, so check your plan documents.
Annual contribution limits, catch-up rules for older workers, and any limits on how much pay can be counted are set by the IRS and change over time. Confirm the current figures at IRS.gov or with your plan administrator instead of relying on remembered numbers. For personal tax questions, consult a qualified tax professional.
Yes -- if your employer matches up to 4% of salary and you only contribute 2%, you're forfeiting the match on the remaining 2%, which is effectively free money you're not claiming.
No -- IRS contribution limits change annually and cap total contributions regardless of salary percentage; check current limits if your calculated contribution might exceed them.
Match rate is the portion of each dollar you contribute that the employer adds. Match limit is the largest percentage of your salary that will be matched. Both together set the maximum employer contribution.
Approximate it by running the calculator with the main tier, or work out the total annual match by hand and compare. Tiered plans like 100% on the first 3% and 50% on the next 2% are not entered as a single rate.
No. It counts employer contributions as fully yours. If your plan uses a vesting schedule, the amount you keep after leaving early could be lower.
No. It assumes a constant return that real markets do not deliver each year. Treat it as an estimate for planning.
Reference: Social Security Administration