401(k) Employer Match Calculator
See exactly how much employer match you are capturing, and how much free money you leave behind each year by contributing below your company's match limit.
Provisional limits. IRS contribution limits for this year have not yet been verified.
Percent of your salary.
e.g. 50 means "50 cents per dollar".
From 50 you can contribute an extra catch-up amount.
You are leaving $800 a year on the table. Raising your contribution to 6% captures the full match. That is free money — the highest guaranteed return available to you anywhere.
The most expensive mistake in American personal finance
Every year, a large share of workers with a 401(k) match contribute less than their employer is willing to match. They are turning down a raise.
Enter your numbers above and the calculator tells you one thing plainly: whether you are capturing everything on offer, and if not, exactly how many dollars a year you are leaving behind.
Reading your match formula
Match formulas are written in a shorthand that hides how they work. The two most common:
“50% up to 6%” — Your employer contributes 50 cents per dollar you put in, on the first 6% of your salary. Contribute 6%, get 3% of salary free.
“100% up to 4%” — Dollar for dollar on the first 4%. Contribute 4%, get 4%.
The critical number is the second one. That is the contribution percentage you need to reach. Going above it adds nothing in match, and stopping below it forfeits money permanently — you cannot go back and claim last year’s match.
Why this beats almost any other financial move
A 50% match is a 50% return, immediately, guaranteed. Not 50% annualized over a decade — 50% the moment the money lands.
For comparison, the long-run average return on US stocks is around 7% a year after inflation. Paying off a credit card at 24% APR is an excellent move. An employer match at 50% is better than both, and it is available to you today.
The only debts worth clearing ahead of the match are genuinely punitive ones — payday loans and the like.
Watch the annual cap if you contribute aggressively
The IRS limits how much you can defer into a 401(k) each year, with extra headroom from age 50. If you elect a high percentage on a high salary, you may hit that ceiling before December.
That matters for the match: some plans only match contributions in the pay periods where you actually contributed. Max out in September and you may forfeit the match for the final three months. If you are contributing aggressively, check whether your plan offers a “true-up” that fixes this at year end — many do, some do not.
What to check in your plan documents
- Vesting schedule. Your money is always yours; the match may not be yet.
- True-up provision. Protects you if you max out early.
- Whether bonuses are matched. Some plans exclude them.
- Auto-escalation. Many plans will raise your contribution 1% a year automatically, which is the easiest way to close the gap this calculator shows you.
How this is calculated
Your contribution = salary × your % (capped at the IRS deferral limit) Matchable salary = salary × the employer's limit % Employer match = min(your contribution, matchable salary) × match rate Missed match = maximum possible match − what you actually earn Full match requires = contributing at least the employer's limit %
Frequently asked questions
- What does "50% up to 6%" actually mean?
- Your employer adds 50 cents for every dollar you contribute, but only on the first 6% of your salary. Contribute 6% and you get the maximum 3% of salary in match. Contribute 10% and you still only get 3% — the extra 4% earns no additional match, though it still grows tax-deferred.
- Is the employer match really free money?
- Yes, subject to vesting. A 50% match is an instant 50% return on the money you contributed, before any investment growth. No other guaranteed return comes close, which is why capturing the full match is usually the first priority in any savings plan.
- What is vesting and does it affect this?
- Vesting is how long you must stay before the employer's contributions are fully yours. Your own contributions are always yours immediately. Some plans vest the match immediately, others over three to six years. This calculator shows the match earned, not the portion currently vested.
- Should I contribute more than the match limit?
- Often yes, but the match is the easy decision. Beyond the match, a 401(k) competes with paying off high-interest debt and with an IRA that may offer better investment choices. Clear high-interest credit card debt before contributing beyond the match.
- What is the annual contribution limit?
- The IRS caps employee deferrals each year, with an additional catch-up amount allowed from age 50. Employer match does not count against that employee limit, though a separate, much higher combined cap applies to employee plus employer contributions together.