401k Calculator & Guide
Estimate how your Roth 401(k) contributions, employer matching, investment returns and salary growth could affect your future retirement balance.
Adjust the assumptions below to see how your Roth 401(k) could grow over time. The projection is illustrative and does not guarantee investment performance.
Use an illustrative 4% withdrawal assumption to translate the projected balance into a simple annual and monthly income estimate.
An illustrative 4% of the projected balance, shown as a planning estimate rather than a guaranteed withdrawal amount.
Explore retirement income →Qualified distributions from a designated Roth 401(k) are generally excluded from gross income under IRS rules.
Roth tax benefits →Retirement income may also come from traditional accounts, IRAs, Social Security, pensions and other sources.
Income sources →The projection combines your starting balance, annual contributions, employer matching and assumed investment growth.
Your current Roth 401(k) balance becomes the starting point for the projection.
Your salary and contribution percentage determine your annual employee contribution, subject to the modeled annual limit.
The calculator estimates employer matching using your selected match rate and salary cap.
The assumed annual return is applied to the growing account balance each year.
A Roth 401(k) is a designated Roth account within an employer retirement plan. Understanding how contributions and withdrawals are taxed is important when comparing it with traditional 401(k) savings.
Designated Roth contributions are included in gross income in the year you make them rather than being excluded from income like traditional pre-tax deferrals.
Generally, a qualified designated Roth distribution requires the applicable five-taxable-year period plus age 59½, disability or death conditions.
Employer matching contributions may take your Roth contributions into account, but the matching amounts are allocated according to the plan's rules rather than becoming Roth employee contributions.
Traditional and Roth elective deferrals generally share the same annual employee elective-deferral limit.
Contribution limits →Your employer's plan determines the investment menu available inside the Roth 401(k).
Investment options →Contribution, withdrawal, rollover and matching provisions can vary by plan. Review your plan documents for the rules that apply to you.
Plan documents →Roth 401(k) contributions generally count toward the same employee elective-deferral limit as traditional 401(k) contributions.
This limit generally applies to your combined traditional and Roth 401(k) elective deferrals.
The major difference is generally when the employee contributions receive their tax treatment.
| Feature | Roth 401(k) | Traditional 401(k) |
|---|---|---|
| Employee contribution tax treatment | Contributions are generally included in current taxable income. | Traditional elective deferrals are generally made on a pre-tax basis. |
| Investment growth | Can grow inside the retirement account. | Can grow inside the retirement account. |
| Qualified distributions | Generally tax-free. | Generally taxable as ordinary income. |
| Employee contribution limit | Shares the applicable 401(k) elective-deferral limit. | Shares the applicable 401(k) elective-deferral limit. |
| Employer matching | Depends on the employer plan. | Depends on the employer plan. |
Use the calculator cluster to explore contributions, growth, matching, retirement income and rollover scenarios.
Estimate your overall 401(k) balance using contributions, matching and investment growth.
Open calculator →Estimate annual, monthly and per-paycheck retirement contributions.
Open calculator →Model how contributions and investment returns could compound over time.
Open calculator →Estimate the potential employer contribution based on your plan's match structure.
Open calculator →Estimate your future retirement balance and illustrative retirement income.
Open calculator →Compare hypothetical Roth and traditional contribution scenarios.
Compare scenarios →Build your understanding before making retirement-planning decisions.
Learn how designated Roth accounts work inside employer retirement plans.
Read the guide →Understand the differences in contribution and distribution tax treatment.
Compare accounts →Understand current taxation and qualified Roth distributions.
Explore tax benefits →Learn about qualified distributions, the five-year rule and early withdrawals.
View withdrawal rules →Explore Roth contribution strategies and how they fit within 401(k) limits.
Learn about contributions →Understand how employer matching can interact with Roth employee contributions.
Employer match guide →Common questions about Roth 401(k) projections and rules.
Explore your 401(k), Roth strategy, contribution levels, retirement income and other planning factors with the 401k.blog calculator and guide library.
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