401(k) Calculator: What Will Your Balance Be?
See what your 401(k) grows to, split four ways: what you started with, what you put in, what your employer adds, and what the market does. The split is usually the surprising part.
Nothing is stored and no signup is needed to see your result. Estimates only — not investment or tax advice.
Hans Goldstein
Founder & Executive Director · Retirement Literacy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit
The number that surprises most people here is the employer-match line — and the second one is what happens to a large pre-tax balance at 73, when withdrawals become mandatory and taxable. Put your name below and I’ll send the one-page checklist of what to do with a 401(k) in the ten years before you retire.
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Common questions
How much should I contribute to my 401(k)?
At minimum, enough to capture the full employer match — that portion is an immediate return you cannot get any other way. Beyond the match, the answer depends on your tax bracket now versus what you expect in retirement.
What is a typical employer match?
A common formula is 50 cents per dollar up to 6% of pay, which this calculator uses by default. Some employers match dollar-for-dollar up to 3% to 5%. Your plan summary states the exact formula.
What return should I assume?
Long-run diversified portfolios have historically returned roughly 6% to 8% before inflation, but no year looks like the average. Try a lower number to see how sensitive your result is.
What happens to my 401(k) at age 73?
Required minimum distributions begin, and the withdrawals are taxable as ordinary income. A large pre-tax balance can push you into a higher bracket and trigger Medicare IRMAA surcharges — worth planning for before you get there.
Related free tools
- RMD Calculator: what you must withdraw at 73
- Retirement Calculator: will your money last?
- Roth Conversion Calculator: what doing nothing costs
- IRMAA Calculator: the Medicare surcharge
The Retirement Literacy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. This calculator is general financial education, not individualized investment, tax, or insurance advice. Projections assume a steady rate of return; real markets vary year to year. Consider speaking with a licensed professional before making decisions.