Reviewed 2026 elective-deferral limit used in the worked example.
US RETIREMENT / EMPLOYEE DEFERRAL ROOM
401(k) Contribution Limit Calculator
Check how much employee 401(k) salary-deferral room remains from the annual limit and the share already contributed this year.
- 01 Calculated in this tab
- 02 Values stay in this browser tab
- 03 Use boundary
USED VS REMAINING DEFERRAL ROOM
Audit the part of the 401(k) limit this calculator actually covers
This explainer is for the gap between contributing to a 401(k) and knowing how much of the employee limit is left. With the reviewed default values, the page uses the 2026 employee elective-deferral limit of $24,500 and a contributed share of 40% to treat $9,800 as used and $14,700 as the remaining room under the base employee limit.
Worked default example
- Entered employee limit
- The reviewed default value checks the 2026 employee elective-deferral limit of $24,500.
- Convert the entered share to dollars
- 40% of $24,500 equals $9,800, so that amount is treated as already used.
- Calculate the remaining room
- $24,500 x (1 - 0.40) = $14,700, so 60% of the base employee limit is still open.
- Keep the missing limits visible
- This page does not automatically add the $8,000 age-50 catch-up, the $11,250 ages-60-to-63 catch-up, or the separate overall annual additions limit of $72,000.
What to enter and how to read the result
Enter the employee annual limit you want to test for the year and the percentage of that limit already contributed. The main result card returns the remaining employee room. The supporting metrics confirm the annual limit checked and the contributed share used in the calculation. If you only know dollars already contributed, convert that dollar amount into a percentage of the annual employee limit before using this tool.
What the calculator actually does
Nirmion multiplies the entered annual limit by the unfilled share of that limit: remaining room = annual limit x (1 - contributed share / 100). In the reviewed default example, $24,500 x (1 - 0.40) = $14,700. That means $9,800 is treated as already used and $14,700 as still open under the base employee limit.
Where this model stops helping
Use this page only as an employee elective-deferral progress check. It does not determine plan eligibility, employer-match formulas, after-tax contribution room, compensation-based limits, loan offsets, or catch-up eligibility. The IRS also has a separate overall annual additions limit of the lesser of compensation or $72,000 for 2026, or up to $80,000 with age-50 catch-up and $83,250 for eligible ages 60 through 63.
Reference and next checks
The IRS retirement-topics page defines the employee elective-deferral limit and explains that employer matching and nonelective contributions are tracked separately under the overall additions limit. The IRS COLA table lists the 2026 figures used in this explainer: base elective deferrals $24,500, catch-up $8,000, enhanced catch-up $11,250, and overall additions $72,000.
Reviewed 2026 default
The calculator shades only the base employee limit: $9,800 used and $14,700 remaining.
Worked employee-limit split between used room and remaining room
A progress bar showing $9,800 of the $24,500 employee limit already used and $14,700 still open, with separate notes for catch-up and the overall annual additions limit.
The entered 40% share converts to $9,800.
60% of the base employee limit remains, which equals $14,700.
Catch-up eligibility and the overall annual additions limit still need a separate review.
IRS REFERENCES
Sources used for this page
COMMON QUESTIONS
401(k) contribution limit calculator FAQs
Do I enter dollars already contributed or a percentage?
On this tool, enter the percentage of the annual employee limit already used. With the default example, 40% of $24,500 equals $9,800. If you only know your dollar amount, divide it by the employee limit for the year and convert that share to a percentage before entering it here.
Does this page include age-50 or ages-60-to-63 catch-up contributions?
No. The worked formula stops at the base employee limit. For 2026, the IRS catch-up amount is $8,000 for most participants age 50 and older, and $11,250 for eligible participants ages 60 through 63. If you qualify and your plan permits catch-up contributions, review that room separately.
Does employer match reduce the remaining room shown here?
Not directly. Employer matching and nonelective contributions do not consume the employee elective-deferral limit the way your own salary deferrals do, but they do count toward the separate overall annual additions limit. That is why this page shows employee room only and keeps the larger plan-limit check outside the model.