Good job on having $65k already! Keep with the annual increases & you'll be doing wonderful! The real thing to consider is WHAT you're invested in with your 401k. You should be diversified in a variety of funds. If you're not sure where or what kind, take some time to learn about the different styles of funds. In general you should be in growth stock, small cap stock, international stocks, and an index fund. That will give you a broad exposure of diversification. Don't worry if you have a down year. Keep investing. The stock market will recover & you will have lowered your average cost per share since the funds were "on sale" during that down period. As you get closer to retirement (7 years or so) begin moving your money more and more conservative (bonds and large cap stock funds).

The max you can contribute in 2014 is $17,500. You'll cap out there in about 10 years if you do the one, then two, then one percent increases. Assuming the gov't retains these limits. Current models are estimating 8% annual growth for a 60/40 stock bond fund (for reference). You may go more equity with the longer time horizon. With that, take your $65k, then add the increases in 401k, up to the cap, x 8% a year. May give you a rough estimate. May be higher or lower

You'll have $429,423 (in "nominal" or actual dollars), with a spending power (in today's dollars) of $224,112 by the time you are 60 (assuming an average "most likely" annual growth rate of 7%)...if you have at least 80% of your money in aggressive growth stocks (which at your age, you SHOULD), then you may achieve an average rate of 9-12% "best case scenario" and end up with somewhere between $525,735 & $717,596...

Well done!

You COULD be doing a lot better, but in reality, you are doing better than most 36-year-olds already, sad to say...

You can probably use an online calculator to figure that one out.

What I would like to point out to you, is that depending on how much your investments gain (or lose) in value will decide how much you will have more than just how much you put into the account.

If you don't make much profit, then your balance in 24 years will be fairly close to the amount you contribute.

But if you make a higher profit, then your balance may be many times the amount of contributions.

You may want to look into learning more about investing and trading if this higher profit stuff appeals to you.

Good luck.

I am currently 36 years old. I have $65,000 in my 401K. I currently make $75,000 but I figure my career average until 60 is going to be a salary of $85,000. I currently contribute 6% to my 401K.

If I increase my contributions the next year an extra 1% and the next year an extra 2% the following year 1% and the next year 2% etc. and follow this pattern f until I retire (age 60 23 years saving time) how much will I have in my fund at the age of sixty?