What does "50% match up to 6%" mean?

Your employer contributes 50 cents for every dollar you contribute, up to a contribution of 6% of your salary — so the maximum possible employer contribution in that example is 3% of your salary.

Should I contribute enough to get the full match?

Many financial educators consider an employer match "free money" worth capturing in full before directing extra savings elsewhere, though your own priorities and other debts matter too.

401(k) Calculator

Retirement

Project your 401(k) balance at retirement, including employer matching contributions.

Display currency

Changing the display currency only changes the symbol shown — amounts aren't converted, since this tool doesn't use live exchange rates.

Current age

Retirement age

Current 401(k) balance

Annual salary

Your contribution (% of salary)

Employer match rate (%)

Match cap (% of salary)

Expected annual return (%)

e.g. "50% match up to 6% of salary" means the employer contributes 50 cents per dollar you contribute, up to a maximum employer contribution of 3% of salary.

Projected balance at retirement

Your monthly contribution: $0

Employer match/month: $0

Total growth: $0

How this is calculated

Your monthly contribution is your salary × your contribution %. The employer match is your salary × the lesser of your contribution % or the match cap %, × the match rate. Both contributions compound monthly at your expected return until retirement age.

Frequently asked questions

What does "50% match up to 6%" mean?: Your employer contributes 50 cents for every dollar you contribute, up to a contribution of 6% of your salary — so the maximum possible employer contribution in that example is 3% of your salary.
Should I contribute enough to get the full match?: Many financial educators consider an employer match "free money" worth capturing in full before directing extra savings elsewhere, though your own priorities and other debts matter too.

Retirement Calculator

Project your retirement savings balance from your current savings, contributions, and expected return.

Roth IRA Calculator

Project the growth of a Roth IRA funded with after-tax contributions.

Traditional IRA Calculator

Project the growth of a Traditional IRA funded with pre-tax contributions.