401(k) match calculator

A year, before taxes.

Of each paycheck, pre-tax and Roth together.

Optional.

Until you stop working.

A year, after inflation. 4% is a steady stock and bond mix.

Sets your IRS limit: $24,500 in 2026, with any catch-up.

Your employer's match formula

Pick a common formula, or type your plan's steps below. Your benefits guide or plan summary has it.

  1. Step 1: $1.00 for each dollar you put in, on 3% of pay.

  2. Step 2: 50¢ for each dollar you put in, on 2% of pay.

Optional. Some plans stop at, say, $2,000.

You're leaving $750 a year on the table

Your employer matches 100% of the first 3% of pay, plus 50% of the next 2%. At 3% you get $2,250 of the $3,000 it would add, and each extra dollar you put in brings 50¢ more. Contribute 5% to get all of it: $1,500 more a year from your pay (about $125 a month, before taxes) brings $750 more from your employer. Over 30 years at 4%, the match you're missing would grow to $42,829.

  • You can put in up to $24,500 in 2026. From the year you turn 50 you can add $8,000 of catch-up, or $11,250 in the years you turn 60 to 63.
Employer match a year
$2,250
3% of your pay
Left on the table
$750
A year · contribute 5% to get it all
Going in a year
$4,500
You $2,250 + employer $2,250 · 6% of pay
Your 401(k) in 30 years
$338,061
$128,488 of it from the match, at 4% a year
What the match grows to · years from now, today's dollarsMatch you getFull match
Year-by-year table
YearMatch you getFull matchMissedYour 401(k)
Now$0$0$0$25,000
1$2,291$3,055$764$30,582
2$4,674$6,231$1,558$36,387
3$7,151$9,535$2,384$42,425
4$9,728$12,971$3,243$48,703
5$12,409$16,545$4,136$55,233
6$15,196$20,261$5,065$62,025
7$18,095$24,126$6,032$69,088
8$21,109$28,146$7,036$76,433
9$24,245$32,326$8,082$84,072
10$27,505$36,674$9,168$92,017
11$30,897$41,196$10,299$100,280
12$34,423$45,898$11,474$108,873
13$38,091$50,789$12,697$117,810
14$41,906$55,875$13,969$127,104
15$45,873$61,164$15,291$136,770
16$49,999$66,665$16,666$146,823
17$54,290$72,387$18,097$157,278
18$58,753$78,337$19,584$168,151
19$63,394$84,525$21,131$179,458
20$68,220$90,960$22,740$191,219
21$73,240$97,653$24,413$203,449
22$78,461$104,614$26,154$216,169
23$83,890$111,853$27,963$229,398
24$89,537$119,382$29,846$243,156
25$95,409$127,212$31,803$257,464
26$101,516$135,355$33,839$272,344
27$107,868$143,824$35,956$287,820
28$114,474$152,632$38,158$303,915
29$121,344$161,791$40,448$320,653
30$128,488$171,318$42,829$338,061

401(k) match calculator by Points Frog ↗ · An educational estimate, not financial advice.