The employer match is a 100% instant return
If your employer matches 100% of contributions up to, say, 4% of salary, every dollar you put in (up to that limit) is immediately doubled. No investment on earth reliably offers a guaranteed 100% return — turning down a full match is leaving free salary on the table. The first rule of retirement saving is: contribute at least enough to capture the entire match.
How the projection works
The calculator combines your contribution and the employer match into monthly deposits, then compounds them plus your current balance at your expected return until retirement. Notice the "value from the match alone" line — over a 30-year career, an employer match can quietly grow into hundreds of thousands of dollars you never earned at work.
Levers that matter
- Start early. Because of compounding, contributions in your 20s do far more work than the same dollars in your 50s.
- Raise the rate over time. Bumping your contribution 1% each raise is nearly painless and dramatically changes the outcome.
- Mind the fees. Fund expense ratios silently reduce your return; low-cost index options often serve well.
Important caveats
Projections assume a steady average return; real markets deliver that average through sharp swings. Contribution limits apply (set annually by the IRS), and traditional 401(k) withdrawals are taxed as income in retirement, while Roth 401(k) contributions are taxed now and withdrawn tax-free later. Treat the result as a realistic planning estimate, not a promise.