Maximize your retirement savings by funding accounts in the optimal order
Get 50% employer match — it's free money
Tax-deductible, tax-free growth, tax-free medical withdrawals
Pre-tax compounding reduces your taxable income now
Tax-free withdrawals in retirement, no RMDs
Projected total at age 65: $6.1M
Where you put retirement savings matters almost as much as how much you save. This calculator applies the standard funding-order framework — 401(k) match first, then HSA, then Roth IRA, then maxing the 401(k), then taxable investing — to your income and contribution room, and shows the dollar flow.
The order follows the value of each tax break: an employer match is an instant 50–100% return; an HSA is triple tax-advantaged; IRAs and 401(k)s shelter growth from taxes; taxable accounts catch the rest with full flexibility.
A typical match — say 50% on your contributions — is an immediate, risk-free 50% return no investment can rival. Even carrying moderate-rate debt, capturing the full match usually comes first.
Contributions are pre-tax (and payroll HSA contributions also avoid FICA), growth is tax-free, and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are tax-free — no other account gets all three. After 65, non-medical withdrawals work like a traditional IRA. It requires an HSA-eligible high-deductible health plan.
Above the income phase-out, many savers use the backdoor Roth: contribute after-tax dollars to a traditional IRA, then convert to Roth. It's legal and common, but the pro-rata rule can create taxes if you hold other pre-tax IRA balances — worth confirming with a tax professional.
After tax-advantaged space is used — or alongside it when you need flexibility, since taxable accounts have no withdrawal age or contribution limits. They're also where early retirees typically bridge the years before penalty-free retirement account access.
401(k), Roth IRA, HSA, taxable brokerage — the order you fund these accounts can cost or save you tens of thousands in taxes.