What This Calculator Does
If you work for a public school, a hospital, or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, your employer retirement plan is probably a 403(b), not a 401(k). The two are close cousins. The contribution limits are identical, the catch-up rules are the same, and the tax treatment matches. This calculator projects your 403(b) balance at retirement using your salary, contribution rate, employer match, investment return, and the 2026 IRS limits.
Enter your current age, retirement age, current balance, salary, contribution percentage, employer match, and expected return. The tool applies the 2026 elective deferral limit of $24,500, the age 50 catch-up of $8,000, the super catch-up of $11,250 for ages 60 through 63, and the special 15-year service catch-up of $3,000 that is unique to 403(b) plans. It returns your projected balance, total contributions, employer match, and investment growth.
According to the IRS 403(b) contribution limits page, the 2026 elective deferral limit is $24,500, with a combined employer-employee annual additions limit of $72,000. The 15-year catch-up is the feature that sets the 403(b) apart from the 401(k), and many long-tenured teachers and hospital workers leave it on the table.
Inputs Required
- Current Age and Retirement Age: Set your accumulation window and determine catch-up eligibility
- Current 403(b) Balance: What you have saved so far
- Annual Salary: Your gross compensation, capped at $360,000 for 2026
- Your Contribution (%): The percentage of salary you defer into the plan
- Employer Match: The match rate and salary cap your employer offers
- Expected Annual Return: Your assumed investment growth rate
- Catch-Up Type: None, age 50+, or super catch-up for ages 60 through 63
- 15-Year Service Catch-Up: Adds $3,000 if you have 15 years of service with the same eligible employer
Outputs Provided
- Projected 403(b) Balance: Your estimated balance at retirement
- Your Contributions: Total employee deferrals over the period
- Employer Match: Total employer contributions over the period
- Investment Growth: The compounded earnings on top of contributions
- Growth Chart: A year-by-year projection of your balance
How the Calculation Works
The projection compounds your balance monthly at the assumed return rate, while adding your employee deferral and employer match each month. The employee deferral is capped at the 2026 elective deferral limit plus any catch-up you select.
Effective Limit = $24,500 + Catch-Up + 15-Year Catch-Up
Annual Employee = min(Salary x Contribution%, Effective Limit)
Annual Employer = min(Salary x Match%, $72,000 - Annual Employee)
Monthly: Balance = Balance x (1 + r/12) + Employee/12 + Employer/12
Final Balance = Balance at retirement age
The annual additions limit of $72,000 caps the combined employee and employer contributions. For most public school and nonprofit employees, salary is well below the $360,000 compensation cap, so the elective deferral limit is the binding constraint, not the additions limit.
How to Use the Calculator
- Enter your current age and target retirement age. The gap is your accumulation window.
- Enter your current 403(b) balance from your most recent statement.
- Enter your annual salary and the percentage you contribute. Check your pay stub for the current rate.
- Enter your employer match. Many schools and hospitals match 50% of contributions up to 5% of salary.
- Set an expected annual return. A diversified stock and bond portfolio historically returns 6% to 8%.
- Select your catch-up type if you are 50 or older. The super catch-up applies only at ages 60 through 63.
- Check the 15-year box if you have 15 years of service with the same eligible employer and have not used up the $15,000 lifetime limit.
Example Calculations
Example 1: A 35-Year-Old Teacher
Sarah is a 35-year-old public school teacher earning $60,000. She has $18,000 in her 403(b), contributes 10% of salary, and her district matches 50% up to 5%. At a 7% return over 30 years, her projected balance at 65 is about $560,000. Her own contributions total about $180,000, the employer match adds about $90,000, and investment growth provides the remaining $290,000. The growth is larger than her contributions, which is the power of starting early.
Example 2: A 60-Year-Old Hospital Worker Using Super Catch-Up
David is 60, earns $85,000, and has $220,000 saved. He selects the super catch-up of $11,250, bringing his elective deferral limit to $35,750. He contributes 42% of salary to hit the cap. Over 5 years at 7%, his balance grows to about $510,000. Without the super catch-up, contributing only $24,500 per year, his balance would be about $470,000. The extra $11,250 per year for four years, plus growth, adds roughly $40,000 to his nest egg.
Real World Scenarios
The 15-Year Service Catch-Up
Maria has taught at the same school district for 18 years. She qualifies for the 15-year service catch-up, which adds $3,000 to her elective deferral limit, bringing it to $27,500 for 2026. The catch-up has a $15,000 lifetime cap, and she has used $6,000 so far, so she can keep claiming $3,000 per year for three more years. Over those three years at a 7% return, the extra $9,000 of contributions grows to about $10,400 by retirement. This catch-up is unique to 403(b) plans and is often missed.
Comparing a 403(b) to a 401(k) After a Job Change
A nonprofit employee moves to a for-profit company and now has a 401(k). The elective deferral limits are shared across both plans, so total contributions across both cannot exceed $24,500 plus catch-up. She should coordinate her deferrals to avoid exceeding the limit, which would create excess deferrals that are taxed twice if not corrected by April 15. Use our 401K Calculator to model the new plan.
A Late Starter Catching Up
A 52-year-old school counselor has only $40,000 saved. She turns on the age 50 catch-up, raising her limit to $32,500, and contributes 25% of her $70,000 salary. Over 13 years at 7%, her balance reaches about $430,000. It is not a full replacement income, but combined with a pension and Social Security, it closes the gap. The catch-up contribution is the single most useful tool for late starters.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Missing the 15-year service catch-up: This is unique to 403(b) plans and adds $3,000 per year, up to $15,000 lifetime. Long-tenured teachers and hospital workers often qualify but never claim it.
- Not capturing the full employer match: If your employer matches 50% up to 5% of salary, contributing less than 5% leaves free money on the table. Always contribute at least enough to get the full match.
- Using high-fee annuity products: Many 403(b) plans default to insurance annuities with high fees and surrender charges. Check whether your plan offers lower-cost mutual fund options, which can save tens of thousands over a career.
- Forgetting the shared deferral limit: If you contribute to both a 403(b) and a 401(k) in the same year, the $24,500 limit applies across both combined, not to each separately.
Limitations of This Calculator
This tool projects a 403(b) balance assuming constant salary, contribution rate, and employer match over the accumulation period. It does not account for salary increases, inflation, loans, hardship withdrawals, or taxes on withdrawals in retirement. The 15-year service catch-up assumes you have not exhausted the $15,000 lifetime cap. The super catch-up applies only for the years you are 60, 61, 62, or 63. Returns are compounded monthly at a constant rate, which does not reflect real market volatility. For a full retirement income projection, pair this with our Retirement Calculator.
Authoritative Research and Resources
- IRS: 403(b) Contribution Limits - The official IRS page covering the 2026 elective deferral limit, catch-up contributions, the 15-year service catch-up, and the annual additions limit.
- IRS Publication 571: Tax-Sheltered Annuity Plans (403(b) Plans) - The definitive IRS guide to 403(b) plans, including eligibility, contributions, the 15-year catch-up rules, and distributions.
For related tools, compare with our 401K Calculator, plan your full retirement with our Retirement Calculator, or project Roth savings with our Roth IRA Calculator.