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Roth IRA Calculator

Tax-free growth, and whether Roth beats traditional for you.

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Roth IRA, after tax

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Withdrawals are tax free, so this is all yours.

Traditional IRA, after tax

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Balance less the tax due on withdrawal.

YearContributedGrowthBalance

Roth balance at retirement

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Total contributed—
Tax-free growth—
Tax you would have paid—
Value in today's money—
Roth advantage—
Break-even future tax rate—
Over the limit?—

Quick Tool Overview

The Roth IRA Calculator projects tax-free growth to retirement and sets it against a traditional IRA on an after-tax basis, since a traditional balance is not entirely yours. The comparison reduces to your tax rate now against your rate later.

What it does
Projects a Roth IRA and compares it against traditional after tax
You give it
Contributions, years, expected return and both tax rates
You get back
The Roth balance and the after-tax traditional equivalent
Best for
Choosing between Roth and traditional contributions
Calculators Free, unlimited use No sign-up Runs in your browser

About the Roth IRA Calculator

A Roth IRA is funded with money you have already paid tax on, and everything it earns is withdrawn tax free in retirement. Enter your contribution, the years until you retire and the return you expect to see the balance and the tax-free growth it contains.

The comparison against a traditional IRA reduces to one question: is your tax rate higher now or in retirement? A traditional IRA deducts the contribution today and taxes withdrawals later, so it wins when your future rate is lower. A Roth does the reverse and wins when your future rate is higher, which favours younger and lower-earning savers. The calculator runs both on an after-tax basis, which is the only honest way to compare them, since a traditional balance is not entirely yours.

Key features of the Roth IRA Calculator

After-tax comparison

The traditional balance shown net of the tax due on withdrawal, which is the only fair basis.

Tax-free growth isolated

How much of the Roth balance is untaxed earnings rather than contributions.

Both tax rates as inputs

Your rate today and your expected rate in retirement, because that gap is the whole decision.

No RMD advantage noted

A Roth IRA can be left untouched for life, which changes long-horizon planning.

Contribution limits flagged

The annual cap and catch-up amount, so a projection cannot assume more than you can put in.

How to use the Roth IRA Calculator

  1. 1

    Enter your contribution

    The annual amount you plan to add, up to the applicable contribution limit.

  2. 2

    Set the horizon and return

    Years until retirement and the average annual return you expect to earn.

  3. 3

    Enter both tax rates

    Your marginal rate today and the rate you expect to pay in retirement.

  4. 4

    Compare after tax

    The traditional balance is shown after the tax due on withdrawal, next to the Roth balance.

Frequently asked questions

It depends on your tax rate now against your rate in retirement. Roth wins when your future rate is higher, traditional wins when it is lower. Younger savers early in their careers most often benefit from Roth.

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