How to use 401(k) Contribution Calculator
- Enter salary and contribution percentage.
- Add employer match rules if applicable.
- Review annual contributions and optional growth projection.
Worked examples
Concrete numbers and cases you can check against the tool above.
$70,000 salary, 6% deferral, 50% match on 6%
Employee = 0.06 Γ 70000 = $4,200/year. Employer match = 50% of that $4,200 = $2,100. Total in = $6,300 plus any growth. Contributing only 3% may leave match on the table β that is the first lever, before picking funds.
When to use 401(k) Contribution Calculator
Employer match is part of compensation. Estimating employee plus match contributions β and optional growth β shows why contributing enough to capture the match matters.
Common use cases
- Model raising your deferral percentage.
- Estimate annual contribution with a tiered match.
- Project growth using a simplified return assumption.
- Compare outcomes before open-enrollment choices.
Inputs and outputs
- Salary, contribution %, match formulas, return assumptions
Privacy
This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your data never leaves your device β nothing is uploaded to our servers.
Frequently asked questions
- What is an employer match?
- It is free contribution money your employer adds when you contribute, often up to a percentage of salary.
- Does this know IRS contribution limits?
- Limits change by year. Verify current IRS caps separately; this tool estimates based on the numbers you enter.
- Are salary details stored?
- No.