US retirement planning | 2026 limits
401(k) contribution calculator
Estimate annual employee deferrals, a simplified employer contribution, and future account value. The calculator applies the 2026 elective-deferral, catch-up, compensation, and annual-additions limits described below.
Plan assumptions
What the calculation does
The employee deferral begins as eligible pay multiplied by the selected percentage. It is then capped at the 2026 elective-deferral limit of $24,500, plus the catch-up amount selected for the participant's age category. The employer amount is modeled as a simple percentage of eligible pay, capped by the 2026 compensation limit of $360,000 and the $72,000 annual-additions limit.
The projection compounds the opening balance once per year and adds that year's contribution at year end. Real plans deposit throughout the year, so an actual balance can be slightly different even when the same annual return occurs. Salary, contribution rates, fees, investment return, vesting, and employer formulas are held constant.
2026 limits used
| Item | 2026 amount | How this tool applies it |
|---|---|---|
| Employee elective deferral | $24,500 | Caps the base employee contribution. |
| General age-50 catch-up | $8,000 | Added when that age category is selected. |
| Age 60-63 catch-up | $11,250 | Used instead of the general catch-up. |
| Defined-contribution annual additions | $72,000 | Caps base employee plus modeled employer contributions; catch-up is outside this cap. |
| Compensation considered | $360,000 | Caps pay used for the employer-percentage estimate. |
Example interpretation
For a worker under age 50 earning $90,000, an 8% employee election produces $7,200. A simplified 3% employer contribution adds $2,700, for $9,900 during the year. Neither amount reaches a 2026 annual cap. This does not mean every plan will contribute $2,700: an actual match may apply only to part of the employee election, may be calculated each pay period, may require year-end true-up, or may vest over time.
Important exclusions
- No Roth-versus-pre-tax tax comparison or income-tax estimate.
- No plan eligibility, vesting, nondiscrimination, controlled-group, or highly compensated employee testing.
- No investment fees, loans, hardship withdrawals, required minimum distributions, inflation, salary growth, or market volatility.
- No enforcement of a specific employer match formula. Enter the employer contribution rate only after checking the plan document.
Primary sources
- IRS: 401(k) and profit-sharing plan contribution limits
- IRS: compensation limits for deferrals and matching
Formula and source review: August 5, 2026. Verify the plan document and current IRS guidance before changing an election.