Retirement benefit · 2026 limits
401(k) Employer Match Calculator
Translate “50% of contributions up to 6% of pay” into dollars, see the contribution needed to capture the modeled match, and check age-based 2026 elective-deferral room.
Quick estimate
Calculate your 401(k) employer match
Estimated annual employer match
$3,000100% of the modeled maximum match capturedYour contribution
$10,000Employer match
$3,000Plan documents control eligible pay, match timing, vesting, true-ups, per-paycheck limits, compensation caps, after-tax contributions, and whether catch-up contributions are matched.
01
How this calculator works
The employee contribution is salary multiplied by the elected percentage, capped at the applicable 2026 elective-deferral limit. The employer match is the lesser of contributions eligible under the pay cap multiplied by the match rate and any separate employer dollar cap.
“50% up to 6%” does not mean 6% from the employer
At that formula, contributing 6% of eligible pay earns a 3% employer contribution. Contributing less captures only part of the match; contributing more may increase your own retirement saving but not this employer formula.
2026 employee deferral limits
The standard 401(k) elective-deferral limit is $24,500. If the plan permits, the general age-50 catch-up is $8,000, producing $32,500. Participants age 60 through 63 have a higher $11,250 catch-up, producing $35,750.
Payroll timing can cost a match
Some plans match each paycheck and do not provide a year-end true-up. Reaching the annual limit too early can leave later paychecks without a contribution to match. Plan documents, not this annual model, determine the outcome.
A calculated employer deposit may not be fully owned until the plan’s vesting schedule is satisfied. Separate immediate contribution value from vested value when comparing jobs.
02
Worked example
On $100,000 of eligible salary, an employee contributes 10%. A plan matching 50% of contributions up to 6% of pay considers only the first $6,000.
Only a 6% employee contribution is needed to capture that modeled maximum match, although a higher contribution may still support the employee’s savings goal.
03
Questions people ask
How do I read a 401(k) match formula?
“50% up to 6%” usually means the employer adds $0.50 for each $1 you contribute, considering contributions only through 6% of eligible pay.
Does the employer match count toward my employee limit?
Employer contributions do not use the employee elective-deferral limit, but they generally count toward a separate overall annual-additions limit.
What is the 2026 401(k) contribution limit?
The standard employee deferral limit is $24,500; permitted catch-ups increase it for eligible older participants. Plan restrictions can be lower.
Can I lose employer match by maxing out early?
Possibly. Per-paycheck matching without a true-up can produce that outcome. Ask the plan administrator how matching and true-ups work.
Does this include vesting?
No. It calculates the contribution under the entered formula. Apply the plan’s vesting schedule when estimating the amount you would keep after leaving.
04
Sources and model basis
This calculator is for tax year 2026 — the return filed in early 2027. Rates, brackets, deductions and limits are the ones in force for 2026, including changes enacted during 2026 that apply retroactively to the whole year. It does not estimate any other year.
Published rules and formulas are linked below. Values supplied by the visitor remain scenario inputs, not factual claims.
- IRS: 401(k) contribution limits2026 deferral, catch-up, and overall contribution limits
- IRS retirement-plan limits announcement2026 workplace-plan and IRA cost-of-living adjustments
- IRS 2025-49 Internal Revenue BulletinOfficial 2026 $24,500, $8,000, $11,250, and $72,000 amounts