Relocation by Numbers

401(k) Calculator

See your employer match, this year's tax savings, and how your 401(k) could grow by retirement, with 2026 limits and a realistic range of market outcomes.

Employer match · pre-tax savings · Monte Carlo range.

See methodologyPlanning estimates only. Results depend on your inputs, tax status, and assumptions.
Contributions
Assumptions
% infl.
Projected balance at retirement (today's dollars)
$806,120

$13,000/yr in ($10,000 you + $3,000 employer match), growing for 30 years.

Tax saved this year
$3,130

Contributing $10,000 only lowers your take-home by $6,870.

Employer match / yr
$3,000

Free money, $90,000 over 30 years before growth.

What makes up your balance (today's dollars)
Current balance$25,000
Your contributions$300,000
Employer match$90,000
Investment growth$391,120
Pre-tax 401(k) contributions lower your federal (and, in most states, state) income tax now, but not Social Security/Medicare; withdrawals in retirement are taxed as ordinary income. PA taxes contributions at the state level. Estimates only, not tax or investment advice.
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How this calculator works

Enter your salary, contribution rate, and your employer's match formula. The calculator adds your contribution and the employer match, checks it against the 2026 IRS limits, and estimates your federal and state tax savings using the same verified tax engine as the rest of the site.

Then it grows the combined contributions plus your current balance to retirement age. Switch to the Monte Carlo view to see a realistic range of outcomes instead of one smooth line.

Employer match

Captures the 'free money' and flags any you're missing.

Real tax savings

Federal + state, with CA/PA handled correctly.

2026 limits

Base, 50+ catch-up, and the 60-63 enhanced catch-up.

Realistic range

Monte Carlo shows the 10th–90th percentile.

Good to know

Always contribute at least enough to get the full employer match: it is usually an immediate return on your contribution. Whether you keep the match can depend on your plan's vesting schedule, which this calculator doesn't model.

Pre-tax contributions cut your taxes now; you pay ordinary income tax when you withdraw in retirement.

This doesn't model vesting schedules, Roth 401(k) contributions, loans, or fees.

It's a planning estimate, not tax or investment advice.

✓No account or sign-up required
✓2026 IRS limits and catch-up
✓Seeded, reproducible simulation

Frequently asked questions

How does employer matching work?+
Employers often match a percent of your contribution up to a cap, e.g. '50% up to 6%' means 50¢ per $1 on the first 6% of salary. Contributing at least to the cap captures the full match (free money).
What's the 2026 contribution limit?+
$24,500 for employees; +$8,000 catch-up at 50-59/64+, +$11,250 at 60-63. The combined employee + employer limit is $72,000.
How much does a 401(k) cut my taxes?+
Pre-tax contributions lower federal and (in most states) state income tax now, not FICA. The calculator shows your savings and the net paycheck effect; withdrawals are taxed later.
Do all states give the tax break?+
Most match the federal treatment, but Pennsylvania taxes 401(k) contributions at the state level.

Keep planning your retirement

See how your 401(k) fits the bigger picture.

Sources and limits

Tax figures come from IRS and state government publications (2026 rules, checked October 13, 2026). Written and maintained by Relocation By Numbers. Sources and limits reviewed October 13, 2026. Found a mistake? Tell us in the feedback box below. Full methodology

Sources

Not included

  • The rule that requires higher earners' catch-up contributions to be Roth is not modeled.
  • Plan-specific limits, vesting and compensation caps are not modeled.
  • Investment returns are assumptions, and the Monte Carlo range is illustrative, not a forecast.
  • Wages only: no self-employment, investment, capital-gain or other non-wage income.
  • Standard deduction only; no itemized deductions, tax credits (dependents, education, earned income and others) or alternative minimum tax.

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