retirement

Cost of Delaying Your 401(k)

Turn retirement delay into a tangible scenario and compare the compounding gap over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big can delay cost become?

Compounding is nonlinear. Delays reduce both contribution years and growth years, which can create surprisingly large gaps later.

Can I recover if I started late?

You can improve outcomes through higher savings rate, longer horizon, and controlled risk, though catching up may require trade-offs.

Does this include taxes and fees?

No. Treat outputs as educational estimates using historical market data rather than complete personal plan projections.

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