401(k) & RRSP Calculator
Project the growth of a US 401(k) or Canadian RRSP from your contributions, employer match, and salary raises. See how much comes from your own money, the match, and investment growth.
Model your workplace plan
Your current gross annual pay.
Share of each paycheck you contribute, 0% through 100%.
Cents matched per dollar you contribute. 50% means $0.50 per $1.
The employer only matches contributions up to this share of salary.
Amount already saved in this account, up to $1 billion.
Hypothetical annual rate from -20% through 30%.
Whole number from 1 through 60.
After 30 years of contributions, employer match, and modeled growth.
- Your contributions
- $324,544.63
- Employer match
- $97,363.39
- Investment growth
- $1,001,383.93
How workplace-plan growth is calculated
Each year, your contribution and the employer match are added to the balance, then the whole balance grows at the expected annual return. Your contribution is your salary times the contribution percent. The employer match applies its match rate to the portion of salary that falls within the match limit. When salary growth is set, next year's salary — and therefore both contributions — rises with it.
Bt = (Bt−1 + Ct + Mt) × (1 + r)- B
- Balance at the end of year t
- C
- Your contribution = salary × contribution %
- M
- Employer match = salary × min(contribution %, limit %) × match rate
- r
- Expected annual rate of return
The same math applies whether you call the account a 401(k) (US) or an RRSP (Canada); the difference is the plan rules and tax treatment, not the growth arithmetic. Contribution limits and tax rules are set by the IRS and the Canada Revenue Agency and are not enforced by this tool.
$80,000 salary, 10% contribution, 50% match up to 6%
A saver earning $80,000 who contributes 10% of salary, with an employer matching 50% of contributions up to 6% of salary, a $20,000 starting balance, a 7% annual return, and 2% yearly raises over 30 years reaches a projected balance of $1,443,291.95.
Of that total, $324,544.63 comes from your own contributions, $97,363.39 from the employer match, and $1,001,383.93 from investment growth. The match alone adds nearly $100,000 at no cost to you — which is why capturing the full match is often described as the closest thing to free money in retirement saving.
This is an educational projection. Actual returns, raises, and plan rules vary, and taxes, fees, and inflation are not included.
What this calculator assumes
- Contributions and the employer match are added once per year, then the balance grows at the expected annual return.
- The employer matches only the share of your contribution that falls within the match limit percent of salary.
- Salary grows at the annual salary-growth rate, increasing both your contribution and the match each year.
- IRS and CRA contribution limits, catch-up rules, and vesting schedules are not enforced.
- Taxes, fees, withdrawals, and inflation are excluded.
401(k) & RRSP FAQ
How does the employer match work?
A common structure is “50% up to 6%”: the employer adds $0.50 for every $1.00 you contribute, but only on contributions up to 6% of your salary. If you contribute more than the limit, the extra is still yours but is not matched. This calculator applies the match rate to the smaller of your contribution percent and the match limit.
Does this work for a Canadian RRSP?
Yes. The compound-growth arithmetic is identical for an RRSP; only the tax treatment and annual contribution room differ. Enter any employer-matched group RRSP contributions the same way you would a 401(k) match. The tool does not enforce CRA contribution limits.
Sources and review notes
- Internal Revenue Service — 401(k) Plans
- Government of Canada — Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP)
Methodology last checked Jul 14, 2026. Formula implementation is covered by deterministic unit tests. No financial professional review is claimed yet.