Project 401(k) or IRA growth to retirement with employer match and raises.
Projected balance at retirement
$1,797,524.55
Total contributed
$500,000.00
Growth from returns
$1,297,524.55
Years until retirement
30
Project 401(k) or IRA growth to retirement with employer match and raises.
A retirement calculator projects how much your 401(k), IRA, or brokerage will be worth at retirement based on your current balance, annual contributions, employer match, and expected return. The earlier you start, the more compound growth does for you.
Starting with $50K at 35, saving $15K/year combined, at 7% return — you reach almost $2M by 65. Most of that is compound growth, not contributions.
A common rule of thumb is 25× your annual expenses (the 4% rule). If you spend $60K a year, aim for $1.5M. Your Social Security, pension, and part-time work reduce that target.
An employer match is free money your company adds to your 401(k) based on what you contribute. A common match is 50% of what you contribute, up to 6% of your salary. Always contribute enough to get the full match.
Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce taxes now; Roth contributions grow tax-free and withdraw tax-free in retirement. If you expect to be in a higher tax bracket in retirement, lean Roth.
For long-term planning, 7% (real, after inflation) is reasonable for a stock-heavy portfolio. Bonds-heavy portfolios are closer to 4–5%. These are long-term averages — annual returns vary wildly.