Published: 21 October 2026 · Updated: 24 October 2026
Project your 401(k) to retirement — your contributions, your employer's match and compound growth, year by year — plus your estimated monthly income under the 4% rule.
Your 401(k) at retirement = today's balance grown with compound returns + every future contribution + the employer match on top. The single biggest lever is time: starting at 25 instead of 35 can mean roughly $1 million more at 65 on the same monthly contribution. Plug your numbers into the widget below.
Researched by MixKhazana Team · Last updated 24 October 2026 · Data: IRS 401(k) contribution limits, 2026
Each year, three things grow your balance: your contributions, the employer match and investment returns on everything already in the account. The match formula is simple: match = your contribution (capped at the match limit × salary) × match percentage. With a 50%-up-to-6% formula on an $80,000 salary, contributing 6% ($4,800) earns you a $2,400 employer bonus — a 50% instant return no market can reliably offer, which is why capturing the full match is the first rule of 401(k) planning.
The second engine is compound growth: each year's balance is multiplied by (1 + return), so gains earn their own gains. The future-value formula for a constant annual contribution is contribution × ((1+r)^n − 1) ÷ r — and time dominates everything: the same $500/month from age 25 to 65 grows to roughly 2.3× the balance as from age 35 to 65, with only a few extra years of contributions. That is the number-one insight every leading 401(k) calculator (investtofire, 401kcalculatorpro, financialtechwiz) visualizes — and the reason "start now" beats "contribute more later" almost every time.
Finally, the calculator translates the headline balance into today's dollars (dividing by (1+inflation)^years) and into a monthly income using the 4% Bengen rule: balance × 4% ÷ 12. Both are planning lenses, not promises.
A 30-year-old earning $80,000 contributes 10% ($8,000/year) with a 50%-up-to-6% match, a $25,000 starting balance and a 7% return, retiring at 65 — ignoring salary growth to keep the math transparent:
Run the widget above with salary growth included and watch how the match and compounding push the number higher — then try dropping the return to 5% to see why a conservative assumption matters.
For 2026, the employee elective-deferral limit is $24,500. Workers aged 50 and over can add an $8,000 catch-up ($32,500 total), and workers aged 60 to 63 can use a super catch-up of $11,250 ($35,750 total) under the SECURE 2.0 Act. The combined employee-plus-employer total limit is $72,000. Limits are set by the IRS and change yearly.
A typical match formula is 50% of your contributions up to 6% of your salary. If you earn $80,000 and contribute 6% ($4,800), the employer adds $2,400. The match applies only to your contributions up to the stated limit — contributions above it earn no extra match. Always contribute at least enough to capture the full match: it is a 50–100% instant return.
Traditional contributions reduce your taxable income now and withdrawals are taxed in retirement; Roth contributions are taxed now and qualified withdrawals are tax-free. As a rule of thumb, Roth tends to win if you expect a higher tax rate in retirement than today (common for young earners), while Traditional wins if you expect a lower rate later. Many plans let you split contributions between both.
A balanced stock-and-bond portfolio has historically returned about 7% per year after inflation (roughly 10% nominal). For planning, 6–7% is conservative, 7–8% moderate and 9–10% aggressive. This calculator defaults to 7%. Remember that real markets are volatile — actual returns never arrive as a smooth 7% line.
You have four options: leave it with the old employer, roll it into your new employer's plan, roll it into an IRA, or cash it out. Direct rollovers into another retirement account avoid taxes and the 10% early-withdrawal penalty. Cashing out triggers income tax plus the penalty if you are under 59½ — usually the worst option.
The 4% rule (Bengen rule) suggests you can withdraw 4% of your portfolio in the first year of retirement, then adjust for inflation each year, with a good chance the money lasts 30 years. It is a planning guideline, not a guarantee — fees, market sequence and your personal spending change the math. This calculator uses it to estimate your monthly retirement income.
No. This is an educational estimate based on constant assumed returns; it ignores fees, taxes, salary volatility, job changes and Social Security. Actual markets fluctuate and your real results will differ. For decisions about contributions, asset allocation or rollovers, talk to a licensed financial advisor or fiduciary.