Project your 401(k) retirement savings with employer matching, compound growth, and 2026 IRS contribution limits ($23,500; catch-up $31,000 if 50+). Free 401k calculator.
Employer matching & inflation-adjusted projection
A 401(k) calculator 2026 is one of the most powerful tools for retirement planning because it shows you exactly how tax-deferred compound growth stacks up over decades. When you contribute 6% of a $75,000 salary — $4,500 per year — and your employer matches 3%, that's an immediate 50% return on your contribution before the market earns a single dollar. Over 35 years at a 7% average return, that combined $6,750 annual input grows into well over $900,000 in your nest egg. The IRS set the 2026 employee contribution limit at $23,500, with a $7,500 catch-up provision bringing the total to $31,000 for workers age 50 and older.
The real magic of a 401(k) is tax-deferred growth. Every dollar you contribute reduces your taxable income today, and the gains compound without being taxed each year. A worker in the 22% federal bracket who maxes out at $23,500 effectively saves $5,170 in federal income taxes. States like California, New York, and Illinois also exclude 401(k) contributions from state income tax, making the benefit even larger. If you start at age 30, your money has 35 years to compound — if you wait until 40, you lose roughly half that time and often more than half the final balance.
Most US employers match 50%–100% of contributions up to 3%–6% of salary. Always contribute at least enough to capture the full match — it's an instant 50%–100% return no investment can beat.
Your 401(k) investments grow without annual tax drag. A $10,000 gain that would cost $2,200 in a regular brokerage account stays fully invested and keeps compounding inside a 401(k).
The 2026 employee elective deferral limit is $23,500. Add employer contributions and the total limit reaches $70,000. Self-employed workers using a Solo 401(k) can contribute up to that combined ceiling.
Workers 50 and older can add an extra $7,500 in 2026 for a total of $31,000. Workers aged 60–63 qualify for a higher SECURE 2.0 catch-up of $11,250, bringing their total to $34,750.