401(k) Calculator | Project Balance & Employer Match Value

For 2024, the elective deferral limit is $23,000 (under age 50). If you are 50 or older, you can make an additional catch-up contribution of $7,500, for a total of $30,500. Limits adjust annually for inflation.

No. Employer matching contributions do NOT count toward your individual elective deferral limit ($23,000 in 2024). They count toward the total combined limit ($69,000 in 2024 for all contributions combined).

Traditional 401(k) contributions are pre-tax — you pay tax when you withdraw in retirement. Roth 401(k) contributions are after-tax — withdrawals in retirement are tax-free. If you expect to be in a higher tax bracket in retirement, Roth tends to win. Use the Traditional vs Roth comparison in this calculator to model both outcomes.

Employer match is essentially a 50-100% instant return on your contributions — before any investment growth. For example, if your employer matches 100% up to 3% of a $80,000 salary, that is $2,400 per year in free money. Use the Employer Match value display in this calculator to see exactly how much match you are leaving behind at different contribution levels.

Yes! In guest mode, you can export your calculations to JSON format. Sign in is required for PDF and CSV export. Click the export button to download your results. This is perfect for record-keeping, sharing with others, or importing into other tools.

Yes! Your calculation history is automatically saved. Guest users can save up to 50 calculations per workspace locally. Sign in for free to save up to 100 calculations per workspace, with access from any device when logged in.

Absolutely! The 401(k) Calculator is completely free with no sign-up required. Create a free account to unlock additional features like more calculation history, multiple workspaces, and the ability to access your saved data from any device.