401(k) Match Calculator
Your employer will pay you extra money for saving. Work out exactly how much your 401(k) match is worth per year, and what it compounds to by retirement.
Read the full 401(k) employer match guide"I'll sort my 401(k) out later."
Fair enough. But the match is not deferred pay you can catch up on. Every year you contribute below your employer's cap, the unmatched dollars are simply gone.
A typical formula, 50 cents per dollar on the first 6% of salary, is an instant 50% return on your money before the market has done anything at all. Plug in your numbers and see what yours is worth.
The safe harbor preset approximates the two-tier formula (100% of the first 3% plus 50% of the next 2%) as a single 80% match on the first 5%. It gives the same dollar match once you contribute 5% or more.
Your numbers
Your yearly salary before tax. The match formula is applied to this figure.
The percentage of salary you defer into your 401(k) each paycheck.
How many cents your employer adds per dollar you contribute. 50% means 50 cents per dollar; 100% is dollar for dollar.
The cap on matched contributions. In '50% of the first 6%', this is the 6%. Check your plan documents or HR portal.
How long the match stays invested before you retire.
Long-run US stock market returns have averaged around 7% a year after inflation. Lower it for a bond-heavy mix.
What happens to my data?
Employer match per year
$2,250
Left on the table / year
$0
Instant return on your money
50%
Match value in 30 years
$212,537
You are claiming the full match
At 6% of salary you capture everything on offer: $2,250 a year of employer money on top of your own $4,500.
The cost of not claiming the full match
Claim the full match (6%)
$212,537
Your current setting (6%)
$212,537
Employer money only, compounded at 7% a year. Your own extra contributions to reach the cap are not counted as a cost - that money is still yours.
The offer on the table
Over 30 years at 7% a year, that grows to $637,610 with the match, against $425,074 from your own contributions alone. We model contributions landing at the end of each year (an ordinary annuity), which is the conservative assumption for money drip-fed through payroll.
Illustration, not advice
This calculator models a single-tier match formula and steady returns. Real plans vary: some use two-tier formulas, match per paycheck rather than annually (a "true up" matters if you front-load), and most apply a vesting schedule to employer money. IRS contribution limits also apply and change each year. Check your plan documents, and speak to a qualified financial adviser before making retirement decisions. Investment returns are not guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my 401(k) employer match?
What does "50% of the first 6%" actually mean?
What is a safe harbor 401(k) match?
Should I always contribute enough to get the full match?
Do I keep the employer match if I leave my job?
Does the employer match count towards my IRS contribution limit?
Related reading
401(k) employer match, explained
The full guide behind this calculator: formulas, vesting, true-ups and the traps.
Roth IRA vs 401(k)
Where to put the next dollar once the match is captured.
Compound interest calculator
See what any regular contribution grows to over time.
What is Coast FIRE?
How an early pot, like a well-fed 401(k), can carry itself to retirement.