| Year | Age | Salary | Employee | Employer | Total | End balance |
|---|
A pension growth calculator shows how much of your future retirement balance comes from your own contributions, how much comes from employer money, and how much is created by investment growth over time. That matters because retirement wealth is usually driven by all three together.
Time matters because earlier money compounds for longer. Limits matter because a contribution percentage can suggest a higher amount than the law actually allows. Salary growth matters because a contribution based on pay can rise each year as income rises.
The biggest reason retirement projections drift from reality is that contribution rate is not the same thing as legal contribution room. A high salary and strong savings rate can push your planned 401(k) contribution above the annual deferral limit. That means the invested amount may be lower than your percentage suggests.
For 2026, the basic 401(k) employee deferral limit is $24,500. People aged 50 and over can add a standard catch-up amount of $8,000. Ages 60, 61, 62, and 63 can use a higher catch-up amount of $11,250. IRAs use a separate 2026 contribution limit of $7,500.
Employer contributions are calculated separately for 401(k) plans, but the combined annual additions cap still matters. In 2026 that cap is $72,000 at the base level, $80,000 with the standard catch-up structure, and up to $83,250 during the age 60 to 63 enhanced catch-up years.
| Limit | 2026 amount | Who it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| 401(k) employee deferral | $24,500 | Basic employee contribution limit |
| 50+ catch-up | $8,000 | Ages 50 and over |
| 60 to 63 catch-up | $11,250 | Ages 60, 61, 62, and 63 |
| IRA contribution limit | $7,500 | IRA contribution cap used in this calculator |
| 401(k) annual additions cap | $72,000 base, $80,000 with standard catch-up, up to $83,250 ages 60 to 63 | Employee + employer total cap |
| Metric | 2026 rule |
|---|---|
| 401(k) deferral | $24,500 |
| 50+ catch-up | $8,000 |
| 60 to 63 catch-up | $11,250 |
| IRA limit | $7,500 |
| 401(k) additions cap | $72,000 base |