457(b) Calculator

Enter your salary and contribution rate, current age and balance, planned retirement age, and assumed annual return. Add an employer contribution if your plan provides one. The catch-up controls let you model eligibility for age-based additional contributions or the plan’s special 457(b) catch-up, but actual eligibility depends on plan rules and prior contributions.

The calculator shows the annual contribution, projected balance, estimated total contributions, and investment growth. Its year-by-year table tracks projected balances at each age. Treat the results as nominal dollars: the structured calculation does not reduce the result for inflation or taxes.

Default projection, from age 35 to 62

The default inputs are a $75,000 salary, a 10% contribution rate, a $50,000 starting balance, a 7% assumed return, no employer contribution, and 27 years until retirement.

Annual employee contributions are $75,000 × 10% = $7,500. Across 27 contribution years, the calculator reports $202,500 in total contributions. The starting $50,000 plus contributions and projected growth results in a $869,322 balance at age 62. The calculator reports $616,822 as total growth, calculated as projected balance minus starting balance and contributions: $869,322 − $50,000 − $202,500 = $616,822.

*This comparison multiplies the annual amount by 27, assumes a flat salary and contribution, and does not apply plan limits. It is not a separate projected-balance result.

The calculator grows the existing balance once per year and adds that year’s contribution. It assumes a steady annual return, rather than modeling the uneven gains and losses that occur in actual markets. A 7% return every year is not the same as a portfolio averaging 7% over time: the sequence of returns can change the result, especially near retirement.

Employer contributions are entered as a percentage of salary. The model adds that amount to the employee contribution, subject to the contribution caps represented in its logic. Review the plan’s summary and payroll records to confirm whether an employer contribution is a match, a fixed contribution, or another arrangement.

A longer savings window gives investments more years to compound, while a higher contribution rate increases deposits directly. Try changing one input at a time so you can see which assumptions drive the projection. For a more focused contribution comparison, use the 401(k) contribution calculator or estimate the growth of a workplace balance with a 401(k) compound interest calculator.

The general employee elective-deferral limit listed for 2026 is $24,500. The standard age-50 catch-up amount is $8,000, subject to eligibility and applicable plan rules. These are annual limits, not targets; a contribution percentage above the limit does not necessarily mean the plan will accept that full amount. The IRS describes 457(b) plan limits and special rules in its 457(b) deferred compensation plan guidance.

Some 457(b) plans allow a special catch-up during the three years before the plan’s normal retirement age. That provision is not simply an automatic extra contribution for everyone near retirement. It generally depends on unused deferral capacity from earlier years and plan terms. The calculator’s special catch-up switch models an assumption from its own limit logic; verify the amount with the plan administrator before increasing payroll deferrals.

Governmental and non-governmental 457(b) plans are not the same. Governmental plans generally hold assets in trust for participants. A non-governmental plan for certain tax-exempt employers can have different distribution and creditor-risk characteristics. Check which type you have before comparing it with a 401(k) or 403(b).

A useful comparison is not only “which plan has the higher projected balance?” Consider the employer contribution, investment options, fees, vesting, access to funds after leaving work, and whether you can contribute to more than one plan. For an account-specific comparison, review a 401(k) future value calculator, 401(k) max contribution calculator, or 401(k) paycheck impact calculator.

The calculator uses an annual return and annual contribution. Its yearly projection applies growth to the opening balance, then adds that year’s contribution.

Annual employee contribution = salary × contribution rate

Balance after year = opening balance × (1 + annual return) + annual contribution + employer contribution

Total growth = projected balance − starting balance − total contributions

For the default case, the annual contribution is $75,000 × 0.10 = $7,500. Over 27 contribution years, the contribution total is $7,500 × 27 = $202,500. The calculator’s projected balance is $869,322, so reported growth is $869,322 − $50,000 − $202,500 = $616,822.

This model does not simulate market volatility, changing salary, changing contribution rates, investment fees, or inflation. Its result should be read as a scenario under fixed assumptions—not a forecast of what a plan will actually earn.

Increasing a contribution rate can build retirement savings, but it also reduces current take-home pay. Before raising deferrals, check whether you have enough emergency savings, whether you are capturing any employer match, and whether high-interest debt needs attention. A 401(k) loan calculator or 401(k) loan repayment calculator can help assess borrowing alternatives, though a loan is not a substitute for a sustainable savings plan.

Compare the projection with the income you may need after work. A retirement number calculator can help estimate a savings target, while a retirement needs calculator can organize expected spending. If you are considering early retirement, the FIRE calculator and retirement spend-down calculator offer other ways to examine the timeline.

Plan distributions matter too. Many governmental 457(b) distributions after separation from service are not subject to the usual 10% early-distribution tax, although tax still may be due and rollover funds can have different treatment. See the 457 plan withdrawal calculator and the 401(k) early withdrawal penalty calculator before treating one plan as more accessible than another.

Run a conservative return scenario alongside your expected-return case, then test a higher and lower contribution rate. Confirm the plan type, employer contribution, catch-up eligibility, and annual limits with your administrator. For a broader retirement plan, compare this balance with other savings and income using a retirement calculator and review how distributions may be taxed in retirement.