401(k) Calculator — contributions, employer match & projection

How it works

Two steps. Cap: your contribution is salary × your percentage, but no more than the IRS elective-deferral limit for your age — this page reads that limit from a reviewed data pack of the 2026 IRS figures, never a guess, and the age tier is applied automatically. Employer match: added dollar-for-dollar up to the percentage of salary you set (the match is additional employer money and is not counted against your elective-deferral limit). Project: the current balance grows at the return (futureValue) and the combined annual contribution accumulates by the savings-annuity formula. The catch-up tiers are the jurisdictional heart of the page — missing the 50-or-60 bump leaves contribution room unused.

IRS 401(k) elective-deferral limits — 2026 (IRS.gov, read 2026-07-22)

Source: IRS COLA release IR-2025-111, which states the $24,500 base and the $32,500 age-50+ total verbatim, plus retirement-topics 401(k). The $35,750 figure for ages 60–63 is the sum of the published $24,500 base and the $11,250 SECURE 2.0 super catch-up — not a separately published total. Limits are adjusted annually and this pack is re-reviewed when the 2027 figures publish.

Worked example

On the default plan — $80,000 salary, 10% contribution, 4% employer match, age 35 to 67 at 7% — you contribute 10% × $80,000 = $8,000 (well under the $24,500 limit), the employer adds $3,200 (4% of salary), and this calculator grows the $30,000 starting balance plus $11,200 a year to roughly $1.5 million by 67. Raise the contribution toward the limit and it caps at $24,500; the age-61 preset shows the super catch-up lifting the cap to $35,750, its own computation from the published limits.

Frequently asked questions

How much can I contribute to a 401(k) in 2026?

Up to $24,500 of your own money if you're under 50, $32,500 at 50–59 with the $8,000 catch-up, and $35,750 at 60–63 with the SECURE 2.0 super catch-up (the table above). Employer contributions are on top of these employee limits, up to a separate overall cap.

Does the employer match count toward my contribution limit?

No — the elective-deferral limit ($24,500 and its catch-ups) applies only to your own contributions. The employer match is separate, which is why capturing the full match is the first priority: it is additional money that doesn't use your deferral room.

What is the super catch-up for ages 60–63?

A SECURE 2.0 provision that raises the catch-up to $11,250 for those four ages, lifting the total limit to $35,750, before it reverts to the regular $8,000 catch-up at 64. The page applies it automatically when your age falls in that window.

Should I always contribute enough to get the full match?

Contributing less than the full match forgoes employer contributions you would otherwise receive. Whether to contribute beyond the match toward the IRS limit is a personal trade-off with other goals, which the page prices but does not advise on.

Why is my projection different from my statement?

This page holds the contribution level, salary, and current-age limit constant across the horizon. Real limits rise with age tiers and annual inflation adjustments, salaries usually grow, and returns vary — so treat the projection as a level-assumption estimate, not a forecast.

What happens at retirement — can I keep the money in?

Eventually the IRS requires withdrawals: required minimum distributions generally begin at age 73. The RMD calculator prices those; this page stops at the balance you accumulate, which becomes the RMD calculator's starting input.

How accurate is this, and what does it exclude?

The IRS limits are the published figures applied exactly; the projection is standard compound growth of level contributions. It excludes salary growth, contribution changes, the annual COLA increases to the limits, investment fees, taxes at withdrawal, vesting schedules on the match, and the separate overall contribution cap. Confirm your plan's match formula and vesting with your administrator.