401(k) Allocation Calculator
Pick a risk tolerance and time horizon — get a diversified stock/bond mix, a dollar breakdown of your balance, and the glide path that gets more conservative as retirement approaches.
Your inputs
A balance of growth and stability — the classic default.
Recommended allocation
- U.S. stocks
- International stocks
- Bonds
- Cash / stable value
Your balance, allocated
| Sleeve | Share | Dollars | Typical 401(k) fund type |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. stocks | 63% | $15,750 | S&P 500 or total-market index |
| International stocks | 27% | $6,750 | International / ex-U.S. index |
| Bonds | 8% | $2,000 | U.S. bond index or TIPS fund |
| Cash / stable value | 2% | $500 | Stable value or money market fund |
Your glide path
How this mix shifts as retirement gets closer, at your current risk setting.
| Years to retirement | Stocks | Bonds | Cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 85% | 13% | 2% |
| 20 | 70% | 25% | 5% |
| 10 | 55% | 38% | 7% |
| 5 | 50% | 42% | 8% |
| At retirement | 40% | 51% | 9% |
Disclaimer
This tool produces a generic, rules-of-thumb allocation for education only. It is not personalized investment advice, does not consider your full financial picture, and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Target-date funds in your own plan follow similar glide paths and may be a simpler one-fund alternative. Consider consulting a fiduciary financial advisor before making allocation changes. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
401(k) allocation FAQ
Methodology & how to use this
The glide-path rule
The model starts from the classic "110 minus your age" heuristic, restated in years-to-retirement: roughly 90% stocks when you're 35+ years out, gliding down to about 40% stocks at retirement. Your risk setting shifts that baseline up or down by 15 percentage points, rounded to the nearest 5%.
The stock split
Stocks are divided 70/30 between U.S. and international index funds — a common default that keeps a U.S. tilt while capturing global diversification.
Rebalancing
Allocations drift as markets move. Revisit once a year, or when any sleeve is 5+ points off target — new contributions can do most of the work tax-free inside a 401(k).
Keep running the numbers
Related calculators worth pairing with this one.
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