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401(k) Contribution
Per-Paycheck Contribution
The Numbers
Analysis
Recommendations
A traditional (pre-tax) 401(k) reduces this year's taxable income; a Roth 401(k) is taxed now but grows tax-free — which is better depends on whether you expect a higher or lower tax rate in retirement.
A traditional (pre-tax) 401(k) reduces this year's taxable income; a Roth 401(k) is taxed now but grows tax-free — which is better depends on whether you expect a higher or lower tax rate in retirement.
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Good to Know
The IRS annual contribution limit and catch-up limit are plain editable inputs with commonly-cited defaults, not a verified current-year lookup -- the IRS adjusts both most years, so check the current figures before relying on this for an actual filing. The tax savings estimate is a rough approximation (contribution times marginal rate), not a full tax-return simulation.
Disclaimer
This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, medical, legal, or tax advice. Always consult a qualified professional about your specific situation.
How 401(k) Contributions and Employer Matching Are Calculated
A 401(k) contribution rate is a percentage of your salary, deducted from every paycheck
before taxes, that determines both how much you save and how much of your employer’s
matching money you actually capture. Enter your salary, contribution percent, and your
employer’s match formula, and this calculator finds your per-paycheck deduction, your total
annual contribution (employee plus employer match), and whether your desired rate exceeds
the IRS’s annual contribution limit.
This is separate from projecting your account balance decades into the future — see the
The employer match only applies up to its own matchable-salary ceiling — contributing more
than that ceiling earns no extra match, and contributing less leaves match money unclaimed:
A raise is a good time to revisit your contribution percent, not just your dollar amount.
Since the contribution is a percentage of salary, a raise automatically increases your dollar
contribution even at the same percentage — but it’s also a natural moment to consider raising
the percentage itself, especially if you’re not yet capturing the full employer match or hitting
the annual limit.
Some employers front-load or true-up their match differently. A per-paycheck match (matching
each paycheck’s contribution individually) can shortchange an employee who front-loads
contributions early in the year and hits the annual IRS limit before December — check whether
your plan offers a “true-up” match at year-end that corrects for this, since not all do.
Vesting schedules affect whether the employer match is fully yours yet. Some plans vest
employer contributions immediately, while others vest gradually over several years of
employment — leaving before fully vested can mean forfeiting some or all of the employer match
already credited to your account.
Interpreting Your Results
Per-paycheck contribution is the number to compare against your actual pay stub once your
plan provider applies the new percentage — a mismatch usually means the change took effect on a
different paycheck than you expected, not a calculation error.
Estimated tax savings is a rough approximation — your pre-tax contribution multiplied by
your marginal tax rate — not a full tax-return simulation. Your real savings can come out
differently once other deductions, credits, and tax bracket boundaries are factored in.
Total annual contribution adds your own contribution to your employer’s match. It’s a
useful figure for tracking progress toward a savings goal, but only your own contribution
counts toward the IRS’s annual employee limit — the employer match doesn’t count against it.
Common Mistakes
Contributing below the match limit. A visitor contributing only 3% when the employer
matches up to 6% is forfeiting real, free money — always contribute at least enough to
capture the full match before considering other savings goals.
Forgetting the annual IRS limit. A high earner contributing a large percentage of a
high salary can hit the annual contribution limit well before the end of the year — this
calculator caps the contribution at that limit automatically.
Confusing this with a retirement balance projection. This calculator only looks at one
year’s contributions — for how a contribution rate compounds over decades, use the
Retirement / 401(k) Savings Calculator.
Useful to Know
The IRS adjusts both the standard annual contribution limit and the age-50-and-over catch-up
limit most years for cost-of-living, so treat the defaults in this calculator as commonly-cited
starting points, not verified current-year figures — check irs.gov for this year’s exact numbers
before relying on them for an actual filing. Under the SECURE 2.0 Act, employees ages 60 through
63 may qualify for a larger “super” catch-up contribution than younger 50-plus savers, and
higher-earning employees may eventually be required to make any catch-up contributions on a Roth
(after-tax) basis rather than pre-tax — ask your plan administrator whether either rule applies
to you.
Cómo Se Calculan las Contribuciones al 401(k) y la Igualación del Empleador
Una tasa de contribución 401(k) es un porcentaje de su salario, deducido
de cada cheque de pago antes de impuestos, que determina tanto cuánto
ahorra como cuánto del dinero de igualación de su empleador realmente
captura. Ingrese su salario, porcentaje de contribución y la fórmula de
igualación de su empleador, y esta calculadora encuentra su deducción por
cheque de pago, su contribución anual total (empleado más igualación del
empleador), y si su tasa deseada excede el límite anual de contribución del
IRS.
Contribucioˊn Anual del Empleado=min(Salario×Porcentaje de Contribucioˊn,Lıˊmite Anual del IRS)Contribucioˊn por Cheque de Pago=Cheques de Pago por An˜oContribucioˊn Anual del Empleado
La igualación del empleador solo se aplica hasta su propio tope de salario
elegible para igualación — contribuir más de ese tope no genera ninguna
igualación adicional, y contribuir menos deja dinero de igualación sin
reclamar:
Igualacioˊn Anual del Empleador=Salario×min(Porcentaje de Contribucioˊn,Porcentaje de Lıˊmite de Igualacioˊn)×Tasa de Igualacioˊn
Ejemplo Resuelto
Un salario de $80,000, con una contribución del 8% quincenal, con
una igualación del empleador del 50% hasta el 6% del salario:
Contribución anual del empleado: 80,000×8%=6,400.
Contribución por cheque de pago (26 cheques de pago/año): 6,400÷26≈246.15.
Porcentaje de contribución elegible para igualación: min(8%,6%)=6%.
Igualación anual del empleador: 80,000×6%×50%=2,400.
Contribución anual total: 6,400+2,400=8,800.
Factores Clave a Considerar
Un aumento salarial es un buen momento para revisar su porcentaje de contribución, no solo su
monto en dólares. Como la contribución es un porcentaje del salario, un aumento incrementa
automáticamente su contribución en dólares incluso con el mismo porcentaje — pero también es un
momento natural para considerar aumentar el porcentaje mismo, especialmente si aún no está
capturando la igualación completa del empleador o alcanzando el límite anual.
Algunos empleadores igualan de forma distinta por cheque de pago o al final del año. Una
igualación por cheque de pago (que iguala la contribución de cada cheque individualmente) puede
perjudicar a un empleado que adelanta sus contribuciones a principios de año y alcanza el límite
anual del IRS antes de diciembre — verifique si su plan ofrece una igualación de “true-up” a fin
de año que corrija esto, ya que no todos los planes la ofrecen.
Los calendarios de adquisición de derechos (vesting) afectan si la igualación del empleador ya
es completamente suya. Algunos planes otorgan las contribuciones del empleador de inmediato,
mientras que otros las otorgan gradualmente a lo largo de varios años de empleo — irse antes de
estar completamente adquirido puede significar perder parte o toda la igualación del empleador
ya acreditada en su cuenta.
Cómo Interpretar sus Resultados
La “contribución por cheque de pago” es el número que debe comparar
con su recibo de sueldo real una vez que el administrador de su plan
aplique el nuevo porcentaje — una discrepancia normalmente solo significa
que el cambio entró en vigor en un cheque distinto al esperado, no un
error de cálculo.
El “ahorro fiscal estimado” es solo una aproximación — su
contribución antes de impuestos multiplicada por su tasa impositiva
marginal — no una simulación completa de su declaración de impuestos. Su
ahorro real puede resultar diferente una vez que se consideren otras
deducciones, créditos y los límites de los tramos impositivos.
La “contribución anual total” suma su propia contribución a la
igualación del empleador. Es una cifra útil para seguir el progreso hacia
una meta de ahorro, pero solo su propia contribución cuenta para el
límite anual del IRS para empleados — la igualación del empleador no se
cuenta para ese límite.
Errores Comunes
Contribuir por debajo del límite de igualación. Un visitante que solo
contribuye el 3% cuando el empleador iguala hasta el 6% está renunciando
a dinero genuinamente gratis — siempre contribuya al menos lo suficiente
para capturar la igualación completa antes de considerar otras metas de
ahorro.
Olvidar el límite anual del IRS. Una persona de altos ingresos que
contribuye un gran porcentaje de un salario alto puede alcanzar el límite
de contribución anual mucho antes del final del año — esta calculadora
limita automáticamente la contribución a ese límite.
Confundir esto con una proyección de saldo de jubilación. Esta
calculadora solo analiza las contribuciones de un año — para cómo una
tasa de contribución se capitaliza a lo largo de décadas, use la
Calculadora de Ahorro para el Retiro / 401(k).
Vale la Pena Saber
El IRS ajusta casi todos los años tanto el límite anual estándar de
contribución como el límite de contribución adicional (“catch-up”) para
personas de 50 años o más, según el costo de vida, así que trate los
valores predeterminados de esta calculadora como puntos de partida
comúnmente citados, no como cifras verificadas para el año actual —
consulte irs.gov para conocer las cifras exactas de este año antes de
basarse en ellas para una declaración real. Bajo la Ley SECURE 2.0, los
empleados de 60 a 63 años pueden calificar para una contribución adicional
“súper” más alta que los ahorradores más jóvenes de 50 años o más, y es
posible que en el futuro se exija a los empleados con ingresos más altos
que hagan sus contribuciones adicionales en base Roth (después de
impuestos) en lugar de antes de impuestos — pregunte al administrador de
su plan si alguna de estas reglas se aplica a usted.
What's the difference between this and the Retirement / 401(k) Savings Calculator?
This calculator answers the contribution-level question — how much comes out of each paycheck, whether you're capturing the full employer match, and whether you're hitting the annual IRS limit. The Retirement / 401(k) Savings Calculator instead projects an account balance forward over decades of growth. They're complementary, not the same tool.
What does it mean to "leave employer match on the table"?
Most employers only match contributions up to a certain percent of your salary (e.g. 50% of the first 6% you contribute). If you contribute less than that limit, you're forfeiting free money your employer would otherwise have added — raising your contribution to at least the match limit captures the full match.
Should I contribute to a traditional or Roth 401(k)?
A traditional (pre-tax) 401(k) reduces your taxable income this year, but withdrawals in retirement are taxed as ordinary income. A Roth 401(k) is funded with after-tax dollars now, but qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free. Which is better generally depends on whether you expect your tax rate to be higher or lower in retirement than it is today.
What is a 401(k) "true-up" match?
Some employers only match contributions per paycheck, which can shortchange an employee who front-loads contributions early in the year and hits the annual IRS limit before December, missing out on match in later paychecks. A "true-up" is a year-end employer correction that adds any match you would have received had your contributions been spread evenly across the year — not every plan offers one, so check with your plan administrator.
Is the employer match immediately mine, or does it vest over time?
It depends on your plan. Some employers vest their matching contributions immediately, while others use a vesting schedule that grants ownership gradually over several years of employment. Leaving your job before you're fully vested can mean forfeiting some or all of the employer match already credited to your account — check your plan's vesting schedule.
What happens if I contribute more than the annual IRS limit across all my paychecks?
Deferring more than the annual limit (across every 401(k) plan you're enrolled in that year, including one from a former employer) creates an "excess contribution" that generally needs to be withdrawn, along with any earnings it generated, before the tax filing deadline — otherwise it can end up taxed twice, once when contributed and again when eventually withdrawn. Contact your plan administrator promptly if you think this applies to you.
Does my employer's match count against my own annual contribution limit?
No. The IRS limit this calculator checks applies only to your own employee contributions. Employer contributions (including matching money) count toward a separate, much higher combined limit that covers your contributions, your employer's contributions, and any other additions to the account together — most employees never come close to that combined limit; it mainly becomes relevant for very high earners or unusually generous employer plans.
How do catch-up contributions for savers age 50 and older work?
Starting in the calendar year you turn 50, the IRS lets you contribute beyond the standard annual limit up to an extra "catch-up" amount, letting people closer to retirement save more aggressively in their remaining working years. Check the age-50-or-over option in this calculator to include that additional allowance in the limit check — some savers in their early 60s may qualify for an even larger catch-up amount under recent law changes, so confirm the exact figures for your age and year with your plan administrator or irs.gov.
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