How it works
The calculator adds your contribution every month, adds the employer match (401(k) only), and grows the balance at the yearly return of the investment you pick, compounded monthly. Each year your salary and contribution rise by your raise percentage.
Employer match: a 50% match up to 6% of salary means your employer adds 50 cents for every dollar you put in, on contributions up to 6% of your pay.
2026 IRS limits (from irs.gov): 401(k), 403(b) and most 457 plans $24,500 a year, plus a $8,000 catch-up at age 50 or older ($11,250 at ages 60 to 63). Traditional and Roth IRAs $7,500 combined, plus $1,100 at 50 or older. Contributions above these limits are capped in the projection and flagged.
The 4% rule: withdrawing about 4% of the balance in the first year of retirement, then adjusting for inflation, has historically lasted about 30 years. Monthly income here is balance × 4% ÷ 12.
Account type: 401(k) and Traditional IRA money grows tax-deferred and withdrawals are taxed as income. Roth IRA withdrawals in retirement are tax-free. A taxable brokerage account has no limit but you pay tax on dividends and gains along the way.
Worked example
You're 35 with $25,000 saved, earn $70,000, put in $500 a month to a 401(k) with a 50% match up to 6%, get 3% raises, and invest in an S&P 500 index fund (~10% historical average). By 65 the calculator projects about $2.25 million in future dollars, or about $928,000 in today's dollars at 3% inflation, which supports about $3,094 a month at a 4% withdrawal. You put in $285,452 and your employer adds $99,908. The same plan in high-yield savings at ~4% ends at about $311,000 in today's dollars, about a third as much.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need to retire?
A common rule of thumb is 25 times the yearly income you'll need from savings, which is the 4% rule in reverse. Needing $40,000 a year means a target of about $1 million.
What are the 401(k) and IRA limits for 2026?
According to the IRS: $24,500 for 401(k), 403(b) and most 457 plans, with an $8,000 catch-up at 50+ ($11,250 at ages 60-63). IRAs are $7,500, plus $1,100 at 50+.
Is 10% a realistic return for the S&P 500?
It's roughly the long-run historical average before inflation, about 7% after inflation. Some decades were much better and some were flat or negative, so treat it as an average, not a promise.
Roth or Traditional?
A Roth makes sense if you expect a higher tax rate in retirement than now. Traditional saves tax today. Many people split contributions between both.
Does this include Social Security?
No. It shows only your own savings. Add your Social Security estimate from ssa.gov to the monthly income figure.