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Retirement & Savings Calculator

401(k) Calculator. Model a 401(k) balance from current savings, annual employee and employer contributions, a whole-year horizon, and an entered net-return scenario.

Use this result well

Inputs that matter
Current 401(k) balance, annual employee contribution, annual employer contribution taken from current plan/payroll evidence, whole-year horizon, and a constant annual net-return scenario
Output to expect
Starting balance, employee and employer deposits, total deposits, modeled growth, and modeled final balance
How it works
Nominal annual net return divided by 12 with equal month-end deposits; employer contributions are entered directly rather than inferred from a generic match formula
  • Check current IRS limits, plan eligibility, compensation rules, and coordination across plans before changing contributions.
  • Confirm the plan’s actual match and vesting terms, fees, investment risks, tax treatment, and withdrawal rules; a smooth return is a scenario, not a forecast.

Choose your path

Built around the job you need to finish

Model one bounded 401(k) contribution-growth scenario from current plan and payroll evidence without inventing an employer match or promising a return.

New plan participant

See how current balance and known contributions combine over time.

Enter current balance plus annual employee and employer dollar amounts, then inspect deposits versus modeled growth.

Can reproduce the scenario and knows the tool did not infer plan eligibility or a match.

Participant checking employer money

Separate employer deposits from employee deposits and vesting rights.

Use a current plan/payroll estimate for employer contributions and review the DOL plan/vesting source.

Does not treat modeled employer deposits as guaranteed or fully vested.

Near-retirement scenario reviewer

Stress a short horizon without a retirement-readiness verdict.

Enter a bounded horizon and net-return scenario, compare one assumption at a time, and review taxes/fees/withdrawal omissions.

Treats final balance as deterministic arithmetic rather than a forecast or action recommendation.

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Reference & details

How it works

Equal Month-End Deposits

Annual employee and employer inputs are each divided by 12 and deposited at the end of every modeled month.

Monthly Deposit = (Annual Employee + Annual Employer Contribution) ÷ 12

Smooth Balance Growth

The current balance compounds monthly at the entered nominal net-return scenario, and each month-end deposit receives only its remaining periods of modeled growth.

FV = Balance × (1+r)^n + Monthly Deposit × [(1+r)^n − 1] ÷ r

Deposit and Growth Reconciliation

Starting balance and both deposit sources remain separate from modeled growth so the final figure can be audited.

Modeled Growth = Final Balance − Starting Balance − Employee Deposits − Employer Deposits

Updated: August 2026

Example Scenarios

Use current balance plus employee and employer annual dollar amounts from plan or payroll evidence.

Current Balance: $25,000Annual Employee / Employer: $4,800 / $2,400Horizon / Net Return: 25 years / entered 6%

Starting balance, both deposit sources, and modeled growth reconcile to the final balance.

Model a plan or eligibility period with no known employer deposit without inventing a match.

Annual Employer Contribution: $0

Employer deposits remain $0 while employee deposits and modeled growth stay explicit.

Remove modeled growth to check contribution arithmetic directly.

Entered Annual Net Return: 0%

Final balance equals starting balance plus employee and employer deposits; modeled growth is $0.

FAQ

Matching formulas, eligibility, compensation definitions, true-up rules, and vesting vary by plan. Use a current plan or payroll estimate instead of relying on a generic match assumption.

No. Limits depend on year, age, contribution type, compensation, employer additions, and coordination across plans. Check the linked current IRS rules and your plan before changing contributions.

Employee contributions are yours, while employer contributions can be subject to the plan's vesting schedule. Review the plan document and current vested balance.

It is the constant nominal annual scenario divided by 12 for modeling. Enter it after any fees you choose to include; market returns, inflation, fees, and taxes can vary materially.

No. It is only a deterministic account-growth scenario. Spending, Social Security, pensions, healthcare, taxes, longevity, withdrawal rules, and market sequence risk require separate evidence.

About 401(k) Calculator

This calculator separates current balance, employee deposits, employer deposits, and modeled growth. Enter the employer dollar amount from current plan or payroll evidence; the tool does not invent a match formula. The constant net return is a smooth scenario, not a forecast or retirement-readiness verdict.