Roth IRA Calculator
Project your tax-free Roth IRA balance at retirement from your current age, balance, annual contributions, and expected rate of return.
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Results
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Why a Roth IRA Is So Powerful
A Roth IRA is a retirement account you fund with after-tax money — you don't get a deduction today, but in return your qualified withdrawals in retirement, including all the investment growth, are completely tax-free. That means the projected balance represents money you actually get to keep, not a pre-tax figure the IRS will tax later.
This tax treatment is what makes the Roth so powerful over long horizons: decades of compounding happen without a future tax bill on the gains. It also offers unusual flexibility compared with most retirement accounts, along with a few rules worth understanding before you contribute.
Tax-free growth and flexible access to contributions
Because you already paid tax on the money going in, your earnings can grow and be withdrawn tax-free once you qualify. A key perk: your contributions (the money you put in, not the earnings) can be withdrawn at any time, for any reason, without taxes or penalties. That makes the Roth flexible, though leaving the money invested is what lets compounding do its work.
2026 contribution limits
As of 2026, you can contribute up to $7,500 across your IRAs for the year. If you're age 50 or older, an extra $1,100 catch-up contribution raises your total to $8,600. You can only contribute earned income, and your allowed amount begins to phase out at higher incomes based on your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) and filing status — check the current IRS thresholds for your situation.
The 5-year rule and qualified withdrawals
To withdraw earnings completely tax-free, two conditions generally must be met: you must be at least age 59½, and your Roth IRA must have been open for at least five years — the 5-year rule. Taking earnings out before meeting these tests can trigger taxes and a penalty, with some exceptions. Contributions, as noted above, remain accessible anytime regardless of these rules.
Roth vs traditional: the tax tradeoff
The core choice between a Roth and a traditional IRA is when you pay tax. A traditional IRA may give you a deduction now but taxes your withdrawals in retirement, while a Roth is funded with after-tax dollars and delivers tax-free qualified withdrawals later. A Roth tends to favor those who expect to be in the same or a higher tax bracket in retirement. This calculator shows estimates only; actual returns and tax rules vary.
Frequently asked questions
- Enter your current age, retirement age, current balance, annual contribution, and an expected rate of return. The calculator compounds your contributions to retirement and shows your projected balance — which, in a Roth IRA, is generally tax-free to withdraw in retirement.
- For 2026 you can contribute up to $7,500 if you’re under 50, or $8,600 if you’re 50 or older (a $1,100 catch-up). Contributions also phase out at higher incomes — for single filers with modified adjusted gross income between $153,000 and $168,000.
- You contribute money you’ve already paid tax on, so qualified withdrawals in retirement — including all the growth — are tax-free, provided the account has been open at least five years and you’re 59½ or older. This makes the projected balance especially valuable.
- They serve different roles. A 401(k) offers an employer match and higher limits; a Roth IRA offers tax-free growth and flexibility. For most people the best approach is to capture the full 401(k) match first, then fund a Roth IRA.