401(k) Match Calculator
Free employer match and yearly total from salary and percents.
What it does
Employer matches pay free money on retirement contributions up to a cap: fifty cents per dollar on the first six percent is the classic formula. Contributing below the cap leaves part of the raise equivalent behind.
The tool above takes salary with your percent, match rate, and cap. It returns your money, the free match, and the yearly total.
Vesting owns the match until schedules complete. Cliff vesting grants all at once after years while graded vesting phases in, and quitting early forfeits the unvested share.
Contribution limits cap the tax shelter yearly regardless of match math. High earners max the shelter first, then fund the match inside it.
How to use
- Enter salary and your contribution percent.
- Enter the plan match rate and cap from benefits.
- Contribute at least to the full cap.
- Check the vesting schedule before job moves.
Formula
- min(yours, cap)
- Matched share capped by the plan.
- match%
- Employer cents per matched dollar.
Safe harbor plans match by law formulas while others choose. Summary plan descriptions state the exact deal.
Worked example
Example: $80,000 salary, 6% in, 50% match to 6%
Salary 80,000, contribution 6%, half match capped at 6%.
- Yours: 80,000 x 0.06 = $4,800.00.
- Matched share: min(6, 6) = 6%.
- Match: 80,000 x 0.06 x 0.50 = $2,400.00 free.
- Total: 4,800 + 2,400 = $7,200.00 a year.
Reference table
| You put | Match | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 3% ($2,400) | $1,200 | $3,600 |
| 6% ($4,800) | $2,400 | $7,200 |
| 10% ($8,000) | $2,400 | $10,400 |
| 15% ($12,000) | $2,400 | $14,400 |
Limits
- Plan rules vary. Read the summary description.
- Vesting can forfeit match on early exit.
- IRS limits cap yearly shelter amounts.
- High earners face extra testing limits.
Common mistakes
- Contributing below the full match cap.
- Ignoring vesting before quitting.
- Counting match before it vests.
- Skipping the match to chase debt first math debates.
- Forgetting to raise percent with raises.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
Salary $100,000, 4% in, 100% match to 3%?
Yours $4,000. Match 100,000 x 0.03 = $3,000. Total $7,000.
Same but 10% in?
Yours $10,000. Match still capped $3,000. Total $13,000.
Questions
What is a 401k match?
Free employer money on your contributions up to a cap, commonly 50% of the first 6%.
Should I max the match first?
Usually yes. Nothing beats an instant fifty to one hundred percent return.
What is vesting?
Ownership schedule for match dollars. Leave early and unvested shares stay behind.
Roth or traditional 401k?
Tax now versus later. Young lower earners often favor Roth.
What are contribution limits?
IRS sets yearly caps with catch ups past fifty. Plans enforce them.
What if my job has no match?
Contribute anyway for tax shelter and habit. IRAs add room outside work.