Financial calculators
401(k) Growth Calculator
Project annual retirement contributions with an employer match and an assumed return.
Calculator & Result
Illustrative estimate only. This is not tax, legal, lending, or investment advice; verify rules and terms that apply to you.
How to Use This Calculator
- Review the default values and replace them with your own Annual salary, Your contribution (%), Employer match (%).
- Keep units, dates, percentages, and time periods consistent with the labels shown beside each field.
- Read the primary result first, then compare the supporting results and assumptions below it.
- Change one assumption at a time to see how sensitive the estimate is before using it in a real decision.
Detailed Breakdown
Each year, the model applies the assumed return to the prior balance, then adds your salary-based contribution and a match capped at the salary percentage you entered. Contributions are added at year end; eligibility and tax rules are not modeled.
This page reports Projected balance, Total contributions and match, Estimated growth. The first value is the headline estimate; the other values help you understand the calculation rather than acting as separate guarantees. Use the result as a comparison starting point, and test a conservative and an optimistic input set when the decision has financial, health, safety, or construction consequences.
Examples
Using the sample inputs (Annual salary: 70,000; Your contribution (%): 8; Employer match (%): 50), the projected balance is $510,368.46. Change the inputs above to try your own values.
Assumptions and Limitations
- Each year, the model applies the assumed return to the prior balance, then adds your salary-based contribution and a match capped at the salary percentage you entered. Contributions are added at year end; eligibility and tax rules are not modeled.
- Small changes in the inputs can materially change the output. Rounded values, missing fees, unusual cases, and local rules may not be represented.
- Illustrative estimate only. This is not tax, legal, lending, or investment advice; verify rules and terms that apply to you.
- Verify important results against an authoritative source or qualified professional before acting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the 401(k) Growth Calculator calculate?
Project annual retirement contributions with an employer match and an assumed return. Each year, the model applies the assumed return to the prior balance, then adds your salary-based contribution and a match capped at the salary percentage you entered. Contributions are added at year end; eligibility and tax rules are not modeled.
How should I use the result?
Use it to compare scenarios and identify the inputs that matter most. Recalculate after changing assumptions, and do not treat an estimate as a quote, diagnosis, approval, or guarantee.
Why might my real-world result be different?
Actual results can differ because of fees, taxes, rounding, timing, eligibility rules, measurement error, market changes, or local requirements that are not included in this simplified model.
Can I rely on this estimate as a final decision?
No. Review the displayed assumptions and verify important results with an appropriate professional or authoritative source before acting.
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