See your tax-free retirement number in seconds
Enter your age, balance, and contributions — get a clear projection of your Roth IRA at retirement, and see exactly how much more it grows than a regular taxable account.
Project your balance
Adjust the numbers — results update instantly.
What does a Roth IRA calculator do?
A Roth IRA calculator estimates how much money you could have in your Roth IRA by the time you retire. It uses your current age, current balance, yearly contribution, and expected rate of return to project your future balance — and shows how much you save in taxes compared to a normal taxable account.
Roth IRA calculator: plan your tax-free retirement savings
Saving for retirement can feel confusing — how much should you save, how fast will it grow, will you owe taxes later? Enter your numbers above and this page walks through everything else: the rules, the limits, and how a Roth stacks up against the alternatives.
How a Roth IRA works
Every dollar you put in moves through the same three stages — this is the order that matters.
Contribute after-tax income
You put in money you’ve already paid tax on — up to $7,500 a year in 2026 ($8,600 if 50+).
It grows, untouched by tax
Your contributions are invested and compound for decades with no yearly tax bill on gains.
Withdraw completely tax-free
At 59½, with the account open 5+ years, both contributions and earnings come out with $0 owed.
Contribution
After-tax dollars go in — no deduction today.
Tax-free growth
Dividends, interest, and gains compound with zero yearly tax drag.
Tax-free withdrawal
Take it out at retirement — you keep every dollar of growth.
You can also withdraw your original contributions — not the earnings — at any time, for any reason, without tax or penalty. That makes a Roth IRA one of the most flexible retirement accounts available.
What each field in the calculator means
Current balance
What you already have saved in your Roth IRA today. Starting fresh? Enter $0.
Annual contribution
How much you plan to add each year — up to $7,500 in 2026, or $8,600 if you’re 50+.
Current & retirement age
Your age now, and the age you plan to stop contributing and start withdrawing.
Expected rate of return
The yearly growth you expect from your investments — most calculators use 6–7% as a reasonable average.
Marginal tax rate
The rate you’d pay on gains in a normal taxable account — this is what powers the comparison.
Your result
A projected Roth balance at retirement, plus a side-by-side comparison against a taxable account.
What is a Roth IRA?
A Roth IRA (Individual Retirement Account) is a savings account made for retirement. The key feature is simple: you put in money that has already been taxed, so when you take it out later, you don’t pay tax on it again — including any growth it earned along the way.
This is different from a traditional IRA, where you get a tax break now but pay tax when you withdraw the money in retirement.
The Roth IRA gets its name from Senator William Roth and was created by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997.
Roth IRA contribution limits for 2026
This limit applies across all your IRA accounts combined, not each one separately. You can contribute for a given tax year up until you file your taxes the following April.
| Age | Contribution limit |
|---|---|
| Under 50 | $7,500 |
| 50 and older | $8,600 (includes a $1,100 catch-up contribution) |
Roth IRA income limits for 2026
If your income is too high, your allowed contribution shrinks or disappears — this is called the income phase-out range.
| Filing status | Full contribution | Reduced contribution | No contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single / Head of Household | Under $153,000 | $153,000 – $167,999 | $168,000+ |
| Married Filing Jointly | Under $242,000 | $242,000 – $251,999 | $252,000+ |
| Married Filing Separately (lived with spouse) | Under $10,000 | $10,000 or more (none allowed) | |
If your income is above these limits, you may still be able to use a backdoor Roth IRA — contributing to a traditional IRA first, then converting it to a Roth. There’s no income limit on conversions.
See how a Roth IRA stacks up
Four common questions, one place to check them — pick a tab to dig in.
Taxable account
You pay tax every year on interest, dividends, and gains. This slows down how fast your money compounds.
Roth IRA
Your money grows completely tax-free, year after year, with no yearly tax bill eating into your returns.
| Feature | Roth IRA | Traditional IRA |
|---|---|---|
| When you pay tax | Now (after-tax contributions) | Later (withdrawals taxed) |
| Tax deduction now | No | Yes, in most cases |
| Withdrawals in retirement | Tax-free | Taxed as regular income |
| Required minimum distributions | None | Required starting at age 73 |
| Income limits to contribute | Yes | No (deduction may be limited) |
| Best for | Expecting a higher tax bracket later | Wanting a tax break right now |
Contributions
Withdraw any time, tax-free and penalty-free, no matter your age.
Earnings
Tax-free and penalty-free only after age 59½, with the account open at least 5 years.
Early withdrawal exceptions
You may avoid the penalty (though not always the tax) on earnings withdrawn early if the money is used for:
Unlike a 401(k) or traditional IRA, a Roth IRA never forces you to take money out — there’s no required minimum distribution, so your savings can keep growing tax-free for as long as you want.
Pros
- Tax-free withdrawals in retirement
- Contributions can be withdrawn anytime without penalty
- No required minimum distributions
- Good for leaving money to heirs tax-free
- Doesn’t count against you on the FAFSA for financial aid
Cons
- No tax deduction today
- Lower contribution limit compared to a 401(k)
- Income limits may block high earners from contributing directly
- Must wait 5 years and reach 59½ for fully tax-free earnings withdrawals
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your current balance, how much you contribute each year, your expected rate of return, and how many years until retirement. Use the calculator above to get a personalized estimate based on your own numbers.
$7,500 per year for people under 50, and $8,600 per year for people 50 and older.
If you’re single and your income is $168,000 or more, you can’t contribute directly to a Roth IRA. You may still qualify for a backdoor Roth IRA conversion instead.
They serve different purposes. A 401(k) usually has a higher contribution limit and may include employer matching, while a Roth IRA offers more investment choices and tax-free withdrawals with no required minimum distributions. Many people use both.
Yes. You can withdraw your original contributions at any time without tax or penalty. Withdrawing earnings early may result in taxes and a penalty unless an exception applies.
No. Roth IRA contributions are made with after-tax money, so they don’t lower your taxable income for the current year. In exchange, your withdrawals in retirement are completely tax-free.
Start planning your retirement today
A Roth IRA is one of the simplest ways to build tax-free wealth for the future. Use the calculator above to see exactly how your savings could grow.
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