What the calculator shows
Enter salary, age, contribution percentage, employer match percentage, the salary percentage eligible for matching and pay frequency. The result applies the 2026 employee deferral and age-based catch-up limits.
Calculation method
Employee contribution is salary × contribution percentage, capped at compensation and the $24,500 elective-deferral limit plus the applicable catch-up. The general catch-up is $8,000 from age 50; ages 60–63 use $11,250. Employer match applies only to the entered match-eligible salary percentage and respects the modeled combined limit.
Inputs to confirm
Use the plan document for matching tiers, vesting, eligible compensation and payroll timing. Coordinate contributions across every employer plan that shares the elective-deferral limit.
Worked example
For an $85,000 salary, age 35, a 6% employee election and a 50% employer match on the first 6% of salary, the employee contributes $5,100 and the employer contributes $2,550. Total annual funding is $7,650. Across 26 pay periods that is $196.15 from the employee and $98.08 from the employer per paycheck, leaving $19,400 of regular 2026 employee-deferral room.
Input variations
| Scenario | Employee | Employer | Total | Remaining employee room |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $85,000 salary, age 35, employee 3% | $2,550 | $1,275 | $3,825 | $21,950 |
| $85,000 salary, age 35, employee 6% | $5,100 | $2,550 | $7,650 | $19,400 |
| $200,000 salary, age 62, employee 20%, no match | $35,750 | $0 | $35,750 | $0 |
The age-62 example is capped at the $24,500 regular limit plus the special $11,250 catch-up for ages 60–63.
Differences from official documents
A real plan may use matching tiers, a fixed dollar contribution, a true-up, different eligible compensation, vesting or payroll cut-offs. The calculator treats the entered match as one simple percentage and does not project investment returns, fees, taxes on withdrawal or Roth-versus-traditional tax treatment.
Thresholds and limits
For 2026, the employee elective-deferral limit is $24,500. The general age-50 catch-up is $8,000, while participants ages 60–63 can use $11,250. The modeled combined employee-and-employer limit is $72,000 before an applicable catch-up and cannot exceed compensation. Employee deferrals shared across eligible employer plans must be coordinated.
Documents to check
Check the plan summary or adoption agreement for the match formula, eligible compensation, vesting and true-up. Use recent pay statements for year-to-date employee and employer amounts, the benefits portal for elections, and Forms W-2 from every employer to reconcile annual deferrals.
Three limits can constrain the same 401(k) contribution
The requested payroll percentage, the employee elective-deferral limit and the combined employee-employer limit answer different questions. The calculator applies them in sequence instead of treating one headline limit as everyone’s available room.
Employee deferrals and employer contributions use different limits
Employee traditional and Roth elective deferrals generally share the annual employee limit across eligible plans. Employer match and other employer amounts do not use that employee limit, but they count toward the combined defined-contribution limit and cannot exceed modeled compensation.
Catch-up depends on age at the end of the year
For 2026, the regular limit is supplemented from age 50, with a larger catch-up for ages 60 through 63. Payroll systems may stop contributions or change treatment when a limit is reached, so year-to-date amounts matter.
A match percentage is not the same as vested money
The simple match formula models dollars contributed by the employer. A plan may use tiers, eligible-pay definitions, true-ups and vesting schedules. Confirm both the formula and how much is vested before treating employer contributions as available retirement assets.
| Constraint | What it limits | Record to check |
|---|---|---|
| Employee elective deferral | Traditional plus Roth employee deferrals | Payroll and all Forms W-2 |
| Plan match formula | Employer contribution in this model | Summary plan description |
| Combined limit | Employee and employer total | Plan portal and annual statement |