401k and Roth IRA Calculator for US Retirement

401(k) and Roth IRA: projection, employer match and 2026 IRS limits

The tool projects your US 401(k) and IRA year by year: employee deferral capped at $24,500 in 2026 ($32,500 from age 50), employer match, IRA contribution capped at $7,500 ($8,600), all compounded at the return you choose. It then compares the after-tax balance under Traditional and Roth based on your current and expected retirement tax brackets.

Year-by-year calculation

• Employee deferral = min(salary × contribution rate, IRS limit).
• Match = salary × match cap × match rate (for example 50% up to 6% of salary).
• Balance = (balance + deferrals + match + IRA) × (1 + return); salary then grows 3% a year.
• Traditional net = final balance × (1 − retirement bracket). Roth net = employee and IRA contributions compounded after current tax (× (1 − current bracket)) + match and existing balance compounded × (1 − retirement bracket).
• Monthly income = balance × 4% / 12 (4% rule).

Default example

Age 30, retiring at 65, $95,000 salary, $25,000 already saved, 10% deferral, 50% match up to 6%, $7,000 IRA, 7.5% return, brackets of 24% now and 22% in retirement. After 35 years: gross balance of $4,352,963, including $819,390 of personal contributions and $172,317 of match. After tax: $3,395,311 Traditional ($11,318 a month) and $3,327,820 Roth ($11,093 a month). The verdict favours Traditional, since the current bracket is above the retirement one, with $196,654 of tax saved on contributions.

Limits

2026 limits stay fixed over the whole projection; catch-up applies from the year you are 50, but the higher catch-up for ages 60 to 63 is not modelled. Roth gets the same gross effort as Traditional, reduced by current tax; the match and the existing balance are taxed on withdrawal in both cases. Roth IRA income limits and inflation are not taken into account. This projection follows US rules and does not replace a financial adviser.

Sources and dates: 401(k) and IRA limits for tax year 2026, IRS news release IR-2025-111 of 13 November 2025 and Notice 2025-67 (checked 14/10/2026).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 401(k) contribution limit for 2026?

$24,500 of employee deferrals, plus an $8,000 catch-up from age 50, i.e. $32,500. Between 60 and 63 the catch-up rises to $11,250, a case the tool does not model. Employer match does not count toward this limit.

What is the IRA or Roth IRA limit for 2026?

$7,500 a year, or $8,600 from age 50 ($1,100 catch-up), according to the IRS. The tool caps your IRA contribution at that amount; it does not check the income limits that restrict Roth IRA eligibility.

Traditional or Roth: how does the tool decide?

It compares your current tax bracket with the one expected in retirement: if it is higher today (24% against 22% by default), it recommends Traditional; if lower, Roth. With 28% expected in retirement, the verdict switches to Roth.

How much is the employer match worth?

With a 50% match up to 6% of salary, the employer pays 3% of salary, $2,850 in the first year on $95,000. Over 35 years with 3% annual raises, the tool adds up $172,317 of match before investment returns.

Is this tool really free?

Yes, all tools on Kristools are 100% free and accessible without registration.

Is my data protected?

Yes. All processing is performed directly and securely inside your browser. No personal data is sent to our servers.