401(k) Employer Match Calculator
Example: Annual salary: 80000 $ · Your contribution rate: 3 % · Employer match rate (of your contribution): 100 % · Match limit (percent of salary): 6 %
| Match you earn | $2,400 |
| Free money left on the table | $2,400 |
| Maximum match available | $4,800 |
Worked example
Suppose your employer matches 100% of your contributions up to 6% of a $80,000 salary. If you only contribute 3%, they match that 3% — $2,400. But the maximum match at 6% is $4,800, so by contributing just 3% you are leaving $2,400 in free money on the table every year. Raising your contribution to 6% doubles the match and captures the full benefit — an instant, guaranteed 100% return on those dollars.
Frequently asked questions
How do I read a match like 100% up to 6%?
It means your employer adds a dollar for every dollar you contribute, but only on the first 6% of your salary. Contribute 6% and you get the full match; contribute less and you get proportionally less; contribute more and the extra is not matched but still grows tax-advantaged. Enter the match rate and the salary-percent cap separately here.
Is the employer match really free money?
Yes — it is compensation you only receive if you contribute enough to trigger it. Failing to capture the full match is one of the most common and costly personal-finance mistakes, because no investment reliably returns an instant 50% or 100% the way a match does. Capturing it should usually come before almost any other savings goal.
What about vesting?
Some employers require you to stay a few years before their matching contributions are fully yours, a schedule called vesting. Your own contributions are always yours immediately. If you might leave before you vest, factor that in, but for long-term employees the full match shown here is money you keep.
Should I contribute beyond the match?
Capturing the full match is the clear first priority. Beyond that, contributing more still offers tax advantages and compounding, up to the annual IRS limit, and is often wise — but the urgent, do-not-miss dollars are the matched ones this calculator highlights.