401(k) Employer Match Calculator (2026 limits)

Understanding the 401(k) employer match calculator — concept and principle

Many US employers add money to your 401(k) when you contribute, for example "50% of what you put in, up to 6% of salary". That match is part of your pay, and contributing too little leaves it unclaimed. This calculator shows your contribution, the employer match, the yearly total, the 2026 employee deferral limit for your age, a simple projection of the balance at retirement, and any match you are missing.

How it is calculated

• Your contribution = salary × your % (capped at the age-based limit)
• Employer match = min(your %, match cap %) × match rate × salary
• Total per year = your contribution + match
• Limit: $24,500 in 2026, plus an $8,000 catch-up at 50+, or $11,250 instead at ages 60–63
• Future value = yearly total × ((1 + r)^years − 1) ÷ r (an ordinary annuity: equal deposits at each year end, no raises)
• Match left on the table = max(0, cap % − your %) × match rate × salary

The principle

The match formula rewards contributions only up to the cap, so the first few percent you save earn an instant return equal to the match rate (50% here) before any investment growth. The projection is the standard future value of a series of equal yearly payments growing at a constant rate. It deliberately ignores salary raises, fees, taxes, vesting schedules and market ups and downs, so treat it as a rough picture of how steady saving compounds.

Worked example

Default: $80,000 salary, 6% contribution, 50% match up to 6%, age 35, 7% return, 30 years.

1. Your contribution: 80,000 × 6% = $4,800 (under the $24,500 limit).
2. Match: min(6%, 6%) × 50% × 80,000 = $2,400 a year.
3. Total: 4,800 + 2,400 = $7,200 per year.
4. Growth factor: (1.07³⁰ − 1) ÷ 0.07 ≈ 94.461.
5. Value after 30 years: 7,200 × 94.461 ≈ $680,118. Match left on the table: $0.

How to read the result

If "match left on the table" is above zero, raising your contribution to the cap is often the first step people consider, because no other investment returns 50% or 100% immediately. Check your plan's vesting schedule too: employer money may only become fully yours after a few years of service. Inflation means the projected balance buys less in today's dollars.

Common mistakes

• Assuming the match is "up to 6%" of your contribution rather than of salary.
• Hitting the annual limit early in the year; some plans then stop matching for the remaining pay periods (ask about a "true-up").
• Treating a 7% return as guaranteed.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 2026 401(k) contribution limit?

$24,500 for employee deferrals, with an $8,000 catch-up at 50+ and $11,250 for ages 60–63.

Does the employer match count toward my $24,500 limit?

No. The employee deferral limit covers only your own contributions; a higher overall limit applies to combined contributions.

What does "50% up to 6%" mean?

The employer adds 50 cents per dollar you contribute, on contributions up to 6% of salary, so the most it adds is 3% of salary.

Sources: IRS News Release IR-2025-111 (2026 retirement plan limits) · IRS, 401(k) Plan Overview and Retirement Topics – Contributions