Roth IRA Calculator
See your tax-free Roth IRA balance at retirement and the advantage over a taxable account.
$0 is fine — many start from scratch
2026 limit: $7,500
Stock-market long-run avg ≈ 7%
0% under ~$48k · 15% most filers · 20% high earners
Roth vs Traditional — compare with your tax rates
Your current marginal income-tax rate
Your expected rate when you withdraw
Tax-Free Balance at Retirement
$1,125,659($1.13M)
Every dollar is yours — withdrawals in retirement are tax-free
💡 Starting from $0 — this is what consistent contributions alone become.
Total Contributed
$262,500
Tax-Free Growth
$863,159
Roth Advantage
$129,474
A taxable account would owe 15% on the growth, leaving $996,185 after tax. The Roth keeps that difference.
Roth IRA Growth Over 35 Years
Roth vs Traditional IRA
Same out-of-pocket cost in each, at a 7% return. The winner depends on your tax rate now (22%) versus in retirement (22%).
Roth IRA
$1,125,659
After-tax — withdrawals are tax-free
Traditional IRA
$1,125,659
After-tax — taxed as income at withdrawal
With equal tax rates, the two are essentially a tie.
📊 Year-by-Year Breakdown
Roth IRA contributions are made with after-tax money, so qualified withdrawals after age 59½ are entirely tax-free. The Roth-vs-Traditional result holds the out-of-pocket cost equal and turns on your tax rate now versus in retirement — real outcomes also depend on other income, future tax law, and required minimum distributions. Contribution eligibility phases out at higher incomes.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your current age and planned retirement age.
- Enter your current Roth IRA balance and annual contribution.
- Set your expected annual return.
- Set the capital-gains rate used for the taxable-account comparison.
The calculator shows your tax-free balance at retirement and the advantage over a taxable account.
How it works
A Roth IRA grows your contributions at the expected return until retirement. Because contributions were already taxed, the entire ending balance — growth included — is withdrawn tax-free after age 59½.
To show why that matters, the calculator runs a comparison: a regular taxable account holding the same investments would owe capital-gains tax on the growth when sold. It applies the capital-gains rate you enter and shows what that account would leave after tax. The gap between the two is the Roth advantage — money the Roth structure legally shields from tax.
Things to know
The IRS caps annual Roth IRA contributions (7,500 dollars in 2026, or 8,600 dollars at age 50+); the calculator applies the right cap and flags it. Roth eligibility also phases out at higher incomes, which this tool does not check. The taxable comparison assumes a single capital-gains event at withdrawal — real tax outcomes depend on your full situation, so treat the figure as an illustration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is a Roth IRA balance tax-free? ▾
You contribute to a Roth IRA with money you have already paid income tax on. In exchange, qualified withdrawals in retirement — both your contributions and all the investment growth — are completely tax-free. That is the Roth's defining feature, and it is why the final balance this calculator shows is the amount you actually keep.
How does the Roth compare to a taxable account? ▾
In a regular taxable brokerage account, the growth is taxed when you sell — typically at the capital-gains rate. The calculator estimates that tax on the same balance and shows what a taxable account would leave you after tax. The difference is the Roth advantage: the tax you legally never pay.
Roth IRA or Traditional IRA — which is better? ▾
It comes down to your income-tax rate now versus in retirement. A Roth is funded with after-tax money and withdrawn tax-free; a Traditional IRA is funded pre-tax (a deduction now) and the whole balance is taxed as income at withdrawal. If your tax rate will be HIGHER in retirement, the Roth wins — you pay tax now at the lower rate. If it will be LOWER, the Traditional wins. If the rates are equal, they tie. The calculator's Roth-vs-Traditional section compares the two directly once you enter both rates.
What is the Roth IRA contribution limit? ▾
For 2026 the limit is 7,500 dollars per year, or 8,600 dollars if you are age 50 or older (the catch-up adds 1,100 dollars). The calculator applies the right limit based on the age you enter and tells you if your input exceeds it. Limits change yearly, so check the current figure with the IRS.
Can everyone contribute to a Roth IRA? ▾
Not at every income level. Roth IRA eligibility phases out above certain incomes, and the limit is shared across all your IRAs. This calculator projects growth assuming you are eligible to contribute — it does not check income limits. If your income is high, confirm your eligibility or look into a backdoor Roth contribution.
What return should I assume? ▾
It depends on how the IRA is invested. A stock-index portfolio has historically averaged roughly 7% per year over the long run before inflation; more conservative holdings return less. The return is an assumption — markets vary year to year — so it is worth checking a lower rate as well.