Retirement / 401(k) Calculator

Project your retirement savings

This retirement and 401(k) calculator estimates how much your savings could grow by the time you retire. You enter your current balance, what you and your employer add each month, an expected return rate and the years left. It then shows a projected balance, how much of it is your own money and how much is growth.

How to use it

1. Enter your Current Balance in dollars.
2. Enter Your Monthly Contribution.
3. Enter the Employer Match (monthly) as a dollar amount, not a percentage. Use 0 if you have no match.
4. Set the Annual Return Rate in percent and the Years Until Retirement.
5. Results update as you type. There is no button to press.

How it works

The tool adds your contribution and the employer match into one monthly deposit. It divides the annual return by 12 and compounds monthly, with each deposit added at the end of the month. The formula is:

FV = P × (1 + r)n + M × ((1 + r)n − 1) / r

Here P is the current balance, M is the total monthly deposit, r is the monthly rate and n is the number of months. If the rate is 0, the balance is simply P + M × n.

What you see

Result	Meaning
Projected Balance	Estimated value at retirement
Total Contributions	Current balance plus every monthly deposit
Growth Earned	Projected balance minus total contributions
Milestones	Balance at years 5, 10 and 20 (where they fit) and at your final year

All amounts are shown in US dollars, rounded to whole dollars. The calculation runs in your browser.

Assumptions and limits

• The return rate stays the same every year. Real markets go up and down.
• Inflation, taxes, fees and yearly contribution limits are not included.
• Your contribution does not grow with pay raises. It stays the same each month.
• The tool only covers the saving years. It does not plan withdrawals after you retire.

Treat the result as an estimate, not financial advice.

Frequently asked questions

How is the employer match entered?

As a fixed dollar amount per month. If your plan matches a percentage of salary, work out that dollar figure first and type it in.

Does the projection include inflation?

No. The balance is in future dollars. To get a rough figure in today's money, use a return rate that is lower by your expected inflation rate.

What return rate should I use?

The default is 7%. Many people test a few rates, such as 4%, 6% and 8%, to see a range of outcomes instead of trusting one number.