Retirement / 401(k) Calculator
See where your savings are headed. This tool grows your current balance plus your contributions and your employer's match to your retirement age, then estimates the income it could safely provide - in both future and today's dollars. Free, instant, and private - nothing you type leaves your browser.
Your retirement age needs to be higher than your current age.
What you already have in your 401(k), IRA, or other retirement accounts.
= $7,000/yr. Many planners suggest 10%-15% of pay, including the match.
A "50% match up to 6%" means for every $1 you contribute (up to 6% of your salary), your employer adds 50 cents. Set the rate to 0 if you have no match.
Assumptions
7% is a moderately conservative default. The US stock market has averaged about 10% a year before inflation over the long run, but returns vary and are never guaranteed.
Projected balance at age 65
$0
About $0 in today's dollars (after 35 years of saving).
- Starting balance
- $0
- Your contributions
- $0
- Employer match
- $0
- Investment growth
- $0
- Total you + employer put in
- $0
- Projected balance at retirement
- $0
Estimated retirement income (4% rule)
$0/mo
$0/yr at a 4% withdrawal rate - about$0/yr in today's dollars.
Year-by-year projection (age, contributions, growth, balance)
| Age | Salary | Contributions | Growth | Year-end balance |
|---|
Estimate only - not financial advice. Projections assume a steady average return; real markets rise and fall, and returns are never guaranteed. See notes below.
How this calculator works
Retirement saving is powered by two forces: the money you add every year, and compound growth on everything you have already saved. Over decades, the growth usually dwarfs the contributions - which is why starting early matters so much. This tool models both, month by month, up to the age you choose.
- 1. Compound growth. Your whole balance earns a return each month, and those earnings then earn their own returns. We compound monthly at your expected annual rate. The default is 7% a year before inflation - a moderately conservative assumption. Change it to see how much the outcome depends on the return you earn.
- 2. Your contributions + the match. Each year you add your contribution - a percent of salary or a fixed dollar amount - and your employer adds its match. A "50% match up to 6% of salary" adds 50 cents per dollar you contribute, on the first 6% of your pay. That match is free money and a guaranteed return, so the calculator warns you if you are contributing too little to capture all of it.
- 3. Raises. When you contribute a percent of salary, your contributions grow as your salary grows. The default assumes 3% annual raises - roughly the long-run US average - so your saving keeps pace with your income.
- 4. Inflation. A big future number is hard to judge, because prices keep rising. We divide the projected balance by expected inflation (2.5% a year by default) to also show it in today's dollars - usually the more useful figure for deciding whether you are saving enough.
- 5. Retirement income (the 4% rule). Finally, we apply the 4% rule: a safe first-year withdrawal of 4% of your balance at retirement (Bengen 1994; the Trinity Study 1998). It is a widely used starting guideline for how much your nest egg could pay you each year - not a guarantee.
What this estimate does not include
It is a smooth projection, so it does not capture the real sequence of good and bad market years - a downturn just as you retire hurts more than an average return implies. It also leaves out taxes on withdrawals (traditional 401(k) money is taxed as income when you take it out; Roth money is not), investment fees, the IRS annual contribution limit, Social Security, and pensions. Use it to see the shape of your plan and test changes - not as a promise of a specific balance.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need to retire?
A common shortcut is 25 times your expected annual spending - the flip side of the 4% rule. If you think you will spend $60,000 a year in retirement, you would aim for about $1.5 million. It is only a starting point: it ignores Social Security, pensions, taxes, and how long you will live. Use this calculator to see whether your current savings and contributions are on track toward a number like that.
What is the 4% rule?
The 4% rule is a well-known guideline that says you can withdraw about 4% of your retirement balance in your first year, then adjust that dollar amount for inflation each year, with a good chance of not running out over a 30-year retirement. It comes from William Bengen (1994) and the Trinity Study (1998). It is a planning anchor, not a guarantee - later research suggests the safe rate can be somewhat higher or lower depending on market conditions and your time horizon.
How does an employer 401(k) match work?
Your employer adds money based on what you contribute - for example, a "50% match up to 6% of salary" means they add 50 cents for every $1 you put in, but only counts your contributions up to 6% of your pay. On a $70,000 salary that is up to $2,100 a year of free money. Always contribute at least enough to get the full match: it is an immediate, guaranteed return that no investment reliably beats. This calculator flags any match you are leaving on the table.
What return should I assume?
The default here is 7% a year before inflation - a moderately conservative planning number. The US stock market (S&P 500) has averaged roughly 10% a year before inflation over the long run, but individual years swing widely, fees drag on returns, and a diversified portfolio holding some bonds usually earns less than pure stocks. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so it is worth also checking a lower number, like 5% or 6%, to see how sensitive your plan is.
Why show the balance in "today's dollars"?
A $2 million balance 35 years from now will not buy what $2 million buys today, because prices rise over time. The "today's dollars" figure divides the future balance by expected inflation so you can judge it against prices you actually understand now. It is usually the more meaningful number when you are deciding whether you are saving enough.
What does this calculator leave out?
It is a smooth projection, so it does not model the real ups and downs of markets (a crash right after you retire hurts more than the average return suggests - that is "sequence-of-returns risk"). It also ignores taxes on withdrawals (traditional 401(k) money is taxed as income when you take it out; Roth is not), investment fees, the IRS annual contribution limit, Social Security, and pensions. Treat the result as a solid ballpark to steer by, not a promise.
Go deeper: retirement guides
Short, plain-English guides behind every number in this calculator.
How much do I need to retire?
The 25x rule, what to count, and how to set your own target.
The 4% rule, explained
Where it comes from, what it assumes, and where it breaks.
Employer 401(k) match, explained
How matching and vesting work - and why it is free money.
Traditional vs Roth 401(k)
Pay tax now or later? How to choose between the two.
401(k) vs IRA
The two main retirement accounts, and how to use both.
What is a Roth IRA?
Tax-free growth, contribution limits, and who it fits.
Sources & last reviewed
Assumptions last reviewed July 3, 2026 by Shivam Rai. These are long-run planning conventions, not forecasts - your real returns, raises, and inflation will vary.
- William P. Bengen, "Determining Withdrawal Rates Using Historical Data," Journal of Financial Planning (1994) - the origin of the 4% rule.
- Cooley, Hubbard & Walz, "Retirement Savings: Choosing a Withdrawal Rate That Is Sustainable" (the "Trinity Study"), AAII Journal (1998).
- S&P Dow Jones Indices / long-run market history - the US stock market (S&P 500) has averaged roughly 10% a year before inflation over the long run; individual years vary widely and returns are never guaranteed.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index - long-run US inflation has averaged roughly 2.5% to 3% a year (bls.gov/cpi).
- US Internal Revenue Service - annual 401(k) contribution and catch-up limits (this tool does not enforce the limit; check the current year at irs.gov).
- US Department of Labor, "What You Should Know About Your Retirement Plan" - how employer matching and vesting work (dol.gov).