Having trouble understanding 401K saving scenario

sportmom

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Source: Forbes

Suppose Dana makes $240,000 per year and gets paid bi-monthly. Her employer matches 100% of the first 6% of income that she defers to the company’s 401k plan. Dana is an aggressive saver and elects to defer 25% of her compensation to the 401k plan—resulting in contributions of $2,500 each pay period. Her employer kicks in a $600 match each pay period, which is 6% of $10,000 gross pay. Dana reaches her 2019 contribution limit of $19,000 on her eighth paycheck at the end of April.

Because she hits the contribution limit on April 30 and makes no contributions to the plan after this date, Dana also gets no employer matching contributions after this date. As a result, Dana’s total employer match for 2019 is $4,800. That’s $600 match per pay period times eight pay periods.

Dana continues making the same contributions each year for the next 15 years and earn a 7% annual investment return. Because she’s contributing money early in the year, Dana benefits more from investment growth on her employee contributions. Specifically, she earns an additional $45,950 in market gains over the 15 years by getting her $19,000 invested earlier each year.

How did Dana get an additional $45,950. I don't understand the math they did to get this figure. Using simple compound interest formula A = P(1 + r/n)[sup]n[/sup][sup]t[/sup] or $19,000(1+0.07/1)[sup]1\[/sup]15) returns

$ 52,421. Accounting for principle, isn't that just an addition $ 33,421? How are they calculating $45,950?
 
@sportmom Maths aside, usually matching contributions are made annually and without regard to the timing of contributions. In other words, Dana will receive 100% * 6% * $240k = $14,400 so long as she contributed at least that amount herself.
 
@sportmom It’s EACH year. But it doesn’t matter how they calculate that time in the market (when you have the funds Jan 1) tends to be better. Unless your company has true up, their conclusion is correct to not leave matching funds on the table.
 
@aurablu Can you explain true up to me? My husband meets his contribution limit fairly early in the year. His company has true up. Does that mean we are leaving money on the table?

Edited to add: thanks in advance I am just new to this stuff.
 

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