401(k)
A 401(k) is an employer-sponsored retirement account you fund straight from your paycheck, often with a matching contribution from your employer. Traditional 401(k) money goes in pre-tax and lowers this year's taxable income; a Roth 401(k) is funded after-tax and comes out tax-free.
The 2026 employee contribution limit is $24,500, with an additional $8,000 catch-up from age 50 and an enhanced $11,250 for ages 60 to 63. Employer contributions do not count against that limit; the ceiling covering both together is $72,000. Capturing the full employer match comes before almost every other financial decision, because nothing else returns 50–100% immediately — but the match is often subject to a vesting schedule, so leaving early can forfeit part of it. Two variants are worth knowing: a Roth 401(k), funded after tax and withdrawn tax-free, and the per-paycheck matching used by plans without a true-up, which penalises contributing too fast early in the year.
Put it to work
401(k) Calculator
Project your 401(k) balance at retirement — including the employer match — and check your contributions against the 2026 IRS limit of $24,500.
Retirement Calculator
Project your retirement savings: what your balance could reach by retirement age and the monthly income it could sustainably provide.
Take-Home Pay Calculator
See your actual paycheck after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare, 401(k), health premiums, and state tax — per paycheck and per year (2026 figures).