Retirement / 401(k)
Project your nest egg — and see how much of it is growth, not just what you put in.
Employer match is free money — always contribute at least enough to capture the full match.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your current and target retirement ageThe gap is your years of compounding.
- Add your balance, contribution, and employer matchAlways contribute enough to capture the full match — it's free money.
- Set an expected returnAbout 6–7% is a common long-run assumption for a diversified portfolio.
Retirement saving rewards two things: starting early and capturing every dollar of free money. This calculator projects your balance at retirement so you can see the payoff of consistent contributions — and how much of the final number is growth rather than your own deposits.
How a 401(k) builds wealth
Three forces stack up: your contributions, your employer's match, and decades of compounding returns. Contributions are the input you control; the match is free money the employer adds; compounding is what turns a steady habit into a large balance. Over a 35-year career, the growth often dwarfs the total you personally contributed.
The match is the first priority
If your employer matches contributions — say 50% up to 6% of pay — that is an instant, guaranteed return you cannot beat anywhere else. Always contribute at least enough to capture the full match before anything else; leaving it on the table is leaving part of your salary unclaimed.
Mind the contribution limits
The IRS caps annual contributions and adjusts the limits over time, with extra "catch-up" room once you turn 50. Because the rules change, check the current figures with the IRS before maxing out, especially if you contribute to more than one account.
A worked example
Start at 30 with $25,000 saved, add $500 a month plus a $150 employer match, and earn 7% a year. By 65 the balance grows to roughly $1.5 million — of which only about $298,000 is money you and your employer contributed. The other ~$1.2 million is growth. Adjust the inputs above to see how starting age and the match change the outcome.