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Roth IRA Calculator
See what tax-free retirement savings could look like. Enter your age, contributions and expected return, then press Calculate to project your Roth balance and compare it with a taxable account.
Written by TopicDrill Editorial Team·Updated June 2026
Roth vs taxable over time
Roth (tax free) Taxable
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How the Roth IRA calculator works
The tool starts from your current balance and adds your contribution at the beginning of each year, capped at the IRS annual limit for your age, then grows the whole pot at the return you choose. Because a Roth is funded with after-tax dollars, no tax is taken out along the way or at withdrawal, so the ending number is what you actually get to spend in retirement.
Alongside the Roth, it models a taxable brokerage account that receives the same contributions but pays tax on its gains as they accrue. That account compounds at a lower after-tax rate, and the shaded area against the dashed line on the chart shows how much extra the Roth keeps by sheltering growth from tax.
A worked example
A 30 year old with 5,000 dollars saved who contributes 7,000 dollars a year at a 7 percent return until age 65 ends up with well over 1 million dollars, all of it tax free. An equivalent taxable account at a 24 percent tax rate lands meaningfully lower because each year of dividends and gains is trimmed by tax. The difference is the Roth advantage.
Things to keep in mind
Roth IRAs have income limits that can reduce or block direct contributions, and the figures here ignore inflation, so a future dollar buys less than today. Confirm the current rules at the IRS before relying on a projection. To explore a pre-tax alternative, compare with our 401(k) calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How is a Roth IRA taxed?
You fund a Roth IRA with money you have already paid income tax on, so contributions are not deductible. In return, qualified withdrawals in retirement, including all of the investment growth, come out completely tax free. That is why the projected balance is also the spendable amount.
How much can I contribute to a Roth IRA?
For 2024 the annual limit is 7,000 dollars, rising to 8,000 dollars once you reach age 50 thanks to the catch-up amount. This calculator automatically caps your entry to the limit for each year and flags when it has done so, so your projection stays realistic.
Why does a Roth beat a taxable account?
In a regular taxable account, dividends and gains are taxed along the way, which drags down compounding. A Roth shelters all of that growth, so the same contributions and return produce a larger balance. The calculator estimates the after-tax value of a taxable account so you can see the gap.
What return should I assume?
There is no guaranteed number, but a long-run diversified stock and bond portfolio has historically returned somewhere in the range of 6 to 8 percent before inflation. Try a few rates to see how sensitive your ending balance is, and remember that real returns vary year to year.
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