Project your 401(k) balance at retirement, including your employer match and growth.
$1,285,747.01
Your contributions
$220,000.00
Employer match
$63,000.00
Investment growth
$1,002,747.01
Your contributions
$220,000.00
17.1%Employer match
$63,000.00
4.9%Growth
$1,002,747.01
78.0%| Projected balance | $10,000.00 | $18,778.08 | $28,190.73 | $38,283.82 | $49,106.54 | $60,711.64 | $73,155.67 | $86,499.28 | $100,807.50 | $116,150.06 | $132,601.74 | $150,242.71 | $169,158.95 | $189,442.64 | $211,192.65 | $234,514.96 | $259,523.25 | $286,339.38 | $315,094.06 | $345,927.42 | $378,989.72 | $414,442.10 | $452,457.33 | $493,220.69 | $536,930.83 | $583,800.78 | $634,058.97 | $687,950.32 | $745,737.49 | $807,702.09 | $874,146.12 | $945,393.40 | $1,021,791.14 | $1,103,711.69 | $1,191,554.27 | $1,285,747.01 |
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Your 401(k) is a three-part growth engine. You put in pre-tax money, your employer adds a match (free money, up to a limit), and both start compounding. Most workers leave their employer match on the table by under-contributing—paying thousands or tens of thousands of dollars to a decision they make in the first month of employment. The match is not a perk; it's part of your compensation package. The second multiplier is time: a decade of compounding at 7% nearly doubles your money. The golden gap between an account with the match and one without is usually wider than the gap between someone who invests and someone who doesn't. This calculator projects the split—how much comes from your contributions, how much from your employer, and how much from growth—so you can see whether capturing the match matters to your plan.
You earn $60,000 per year, contribute 10% (that's $500 a month), and your employer matches 50% up to 6% of salary. That means they add another $150 a month. Over 35 years at 7% return, you'll have about $1.17 million at retirement. Your contributions were $210,000, the employer added $63,000, and the remaining roughly $898,000 came entirely from investment growth—the compound effect working in your favor.
Now imagine you only contribute 3% (you don't realize the 50% match). Your employer only matches on 3%, which is $75 a month instead of $150. Over 35 years that $75-a-month difference compounds into roughly $765,000 you'll never see. Leaving the match on the table is handing your employer money to invest for their benefit, not yours. Most plans cap the match at 6%, so contributing less than that means you're paying yourself to leave free money unclaimed.
How does an employer 401(k) match work?
Your employer offers to contribute a percentage of your salary to your 401(k) if you contribute a percentage of yours. A common match is 50% up to 6%, which means if you contribute 6% of your salary, they add 3% of their own. This is truly free money and is one of the few guaranteed returns you can get in finance. Not capturing it is like turning down a raise.
What is the 401(k) contribution limit?
The IRS sets an annual limit on how much you can contribute to your 401(k) as an employee, and that limit is adjusted periodically for inflation. If you're 50 or older, you're eligible for an additional catch-up contribution on top of the standard limit. The employer match is separate and additional, so the total limit for both is higher still. Because these figures change year to year, check IRS.gov for the current limit rather than relying on a fixed number. This calculator assumes you stay within the employee cap.
How much will my 401(k) grow?
Growth depends on three things: the balance you start with, what you contribute, and your expected annual return (which depends on how your plan is invested—stocks typically average 7–10%, bonds 3–5%, and a mix is between). Even modest contributions compound dramatically over decades. Someone who contributes $200 a month for 30 years at 7% ends up with roughly $350,000 from contributions and growth combined. Time is the most powerful lever.