Roth IRA Calculator

Estimate how much your Roth IRA will be worth at retirement and how much you can save in taxes. This calculator projects your tax-free growth year by year based on your current balance, annual contributions, investment returns, and income eligibility for 2026. See your projected balance at retirement, total contributions versus growth, and how long your money may last.

This tool is for anyone planning for retirement, whether you're just starting to save or want to see if your current strategy is on track. If you're unsure if a Roth is right for you, compare it with our analysis on Roth vs. Traditional IRAs. If your income is too high, explore the backdoor Roth IRA calculator to see how you can still contribute. For a complete financial picture, use our comprehensive retirement calculator.

The results provide a clear visual projection of your Roth IRA's future value. You'll see a score indicating how well your plan supports your withdrawal goals, charts showing your balance over time, a breakdown of contributions versus tax-free growth, and an estimate of your total tax savings compared to a taxable account.

Begin with your personal timeline by entering your current age, the age you plan to start withdrawals, and your life expectancy. These inputs set the timeframe for your savings to grow and how long you'll need the funds to last in retirement. The calculator defaults the withdrawal age to 60, but you can adjust it. Note that penalty-free withdrawals of earnings typically begin at age 59 ½.

Next, input your Roth IRA balance and contribution details. Enter your current total balance across all Roth IRA accounts and how much you plan to contribute annually. The calculator notes the 2026 contribution limits for reference.

Then, provide your income and eligibility information. Select your tax filing status (Single or Married Filing Jointly) and enter your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). This is critical, as your MAGI determines if you can contribute to a Roth IRA and how much. The calculator will automatically show if you are eligible or if your contribution limit is reduced. If you are not eligible, you might consider a Roth conversion.

Enter your investment assumptions next. Input your expected annual return on investments and the anticipated annual inflation rate. These figures will be used to project your portfolio's growth and adjust the value of future withdrawals to maintain purchasing power.

Finally, specify your retirement withdrawal plan. Enter the annual amount you plan to withdraw from your Roth IRA during retirement, in today's dollars. The calculator will adjust this amount for inflation each year. For a broader view of your retirement income needs, use the retirement income calculator.

The advanced settings allow for a more detailed analysis, including catch-up contributions, tax rate comparisons for a Roth vs. Traditional IRA analysis, and whether to model increasing contributions with salary growth.

Current Age, Withdrawal Age, and Life Expectancy

These three inputs establish your financial timeline. Your current age and withdrawal age define your accumulation phase—the years you have to contribute and let your investments compound tax-free. The period between your withdrawal age and life expectancy is the distribution phase, which determines how long your Roth IRA needs to last.

Current Roth IRA Balance

This is the starting point for your projection. Enter the total combined value of all your Roth IRA accounts. A higher starting balance gives you a significant head start, as that money has the longest time to benefit from tax-free compound growth.

Annual Contribution

This is the amount you plan to save in your Roth IRA each year. The maximum you can contribute in 2026 is $7,000, plus an additional $1,000 catch-up contribution if you are age 50 or older. This calculator automatically checks your contribution against your income eligibility. Increasing your annual contribution is one of the most direct ways to boost your final retirement savings.

Filing Status and Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI)

Your tax filing status and MAGI determine your eligibility to contribute to a Roth IRA. The IRS sets income limits that phase out and eventually eliminate the ability to make direct contributions. This calculator uses the 2026 phase-out ranges to tell you if you're eligible, if your contribution is reduced, or if you're ineligible. If your income is too high, a backdoor Roth IRA may be an option.

Expected Annual Return

This is the average annual rate of return you expect your Roth IRA investments to generate. This should be a long-term average. Historically, a diversified portfolio of stocks has returned around 7-10% annually, but past performance is not a guarantee of future results. A more conservative portfolio might use a lower rate.

Inflation Rate

Inflation erodes the purchasing power of your money over time. The calculator uses this rate to adjust your future withdrawals, ensuring your retirement income keeps pace with the rising cost of living. A long-term historical average for inflation in the U.S. is around 2.5-3%. See how inflation affects retirement savings.

Annual Withdrawal in Retirement

This is how much you plan to take out from your Roth IRA each year in retirement, expressed in today's dollars. The calculator will inflate this amount annually to maintain your standard of living. This figure should be part of your overall retirement budget.

Advanced Settings

These optional inputs refine your projection. You can specify tax rates to compare the lifetime tax impact of a Roth vs. a Traditional IRA. You can also model increasing your contributions as your salary grows and input how long your account has been open to check against the 5-year rule for tax-free earnings withdrawals.

This calculator uses a year-by-year projection to model the growth and eventual drawdown of your Roth IRA balance. The process is divided into two distinct phases: accumulation and distribution.

First, the calculator determines your contribution eligibility based on your filing status and MAGI using the 2026 IRS phase-out rules. It calculates your maximum allowed annual contribution.

During the accumulation phase (from your current age to your withdrawal age), the calculator performs the following steps each year:

1. It starts with the beginning-of-year balance.
2. It adds your annual contribution, capped at your effective limit. If you're 50 or older, it includes the catch-up contribution.
3. It calculates investment growth by applying the expected annual return to the balance.
4. The end-of-year balance is the sum of the starting balance, your contribution, and the investment growth.

Once you reach your withdrawal age, the calculator switches to the distribution phase. For each year in retirement, it:

1. Starts with the beginning-of-year balance.
2. Calculates your planned withdrawal, adjusting the initial amount for cumulative inflation.
3. Subtracts the inflation-adjusted withdrawal from your balance. The withdrawal is capped at the remaining balance.
4. Calculates investment growth on the remaining balance.
5. Calculates the tax savings on the withdrawal, as Roth IRA withdrawals are tax-free.
6. The end-of-year balance is the remaining balance plus investment growth.

This process continues until you reach your life expectancy or the balance reaches zero. The final results, such as the total tax savings and balance at retirement, are then summarized.

The calculations are performed annually. Here are the core formulas used in the projection.

MAGI-Based Contribution Limit

The calculator first determines your maximum allowed contribution based on 2026 income phase-out ranges.

// For Single Filers (2026)
phase_out_start = 150000
phase_out_end = 165000

// For Married Filing Jointly (2026)
phase_out_start = 236000
phase_out_end = 246000

if magi <= phase_out_start:
  reduced_limit = 7000
else if magi >= phase_out_end:
  reduced_limit = 0
else:
  ratio = (phase_out_end - magi) / (phase_out_end - phase_out_start)
  reduced_limit = round(7000 * ratio / 10) * 10 // Rounded to nearest $10

Your actual contribution for a given year is the lesser of your planned annual contribution and this calculated limit (plus any catch-up contribution if you are age 50+).

Pre-Retirement Annual Growth Formula

For each year before your withdrawal age:

investment_growth = beginning_balance * (expected_return / 100)
ending_balance = beginning_balance + annual_contribution + investment_growth

Post-Retirement Annual Withdrawal Formula

For each year at or after your withdrawal age:

inflation_factor = (1 + inflation_rate / 100) ^ (years_in_retirement)
inflation_adjusted_withdrawal = annual_withdrawal_target * inflation_factor
actual_withdrawal = min(beginning_balance, inflation_adjusted_withdrawal)
remaining_balance = beginning_balance - actual_withdrawal
investment_growth = remaining_balance * (expected_return / 100)
ending_balance = remaining_balance + investment_growth

Roth vs. Traditional Tax Advantage Formula

The calculator estimates the tax advantage by comparing the taxes paid on a Roth IRA (upfront) to the taxes paid on a Traditional IRA (on withdrawal).

roth_tax_paid = total_contributions * (current_tax_rate / 100)
traditional_tax_on_withdrawals = sum_of_all_retirement_withdrawals * (retirement_tax_rate / 100)
tax_advantage = traditional_tax_on_withdrawals - roth_tax_paid

A positive result suggests a tax advantage for the Roth IRA based on your assumptions.

Understanding the rules is key to maximizing your Roth IRA. For 2026, the contribution and income limits are as follows:

• Maximum Annual Contribution: You can contribute up to $7,000.
• Catch-Up Contribution: If you are age 50 or over, you can contribute an additional $1,000, for a total of $8,000.

However, your ability to contribute is based on your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI).

2026 Roth IRA MAGI Phase-Out Ranges:

• Single, Head of Household, or Married Filing Separately (and you did not live with your spouse at any time during the year):
  • You can contribute the full amount if your MAGI is $150,000 or less.
  • Your contribution is reduced if your MAGI is between $150,001 and $164,999.
  • You cannot contribute if your MAGI is $165,000 or more.
• Married Filing Jointly or Qualifying Widow(er):
  • You can contribute the full amount if your MAGI is $236,000 or less.
  • Your contribution is reduced if your MAGI is between $236,001 and $245,999.
  • You cannot contribute if your MAGI is $246,000 or more.

If your income exceeds these limits, you may still be able to fund a Roth IRA through a strategy known as the backdoor Roth IRA.

The primary difference between a Roth IRA and a Traditional IRA is the timing of taxes.

• Roth IRA: Contributions are made with after-tax dollars. You get no upfront tax deduction, but your qualified withdrawals in retirement are 100% tax-free.
• Traditional IRA: Contributions may be tax-deductible in the year you make them. Your money grows tax-deferred, but withdrawals in retirement are taxed as ordinary income.

The best choice depends on your expected tax situation.

• A Roth IRA is generally more advantageous if you expect to be in a higher tax bracket in retirement than you are today. You pay taxes now at your lower rate and avoid them later at a higher rate.
• A Traditional IRA may be better if you expect to be in a lower tax bracket in retirement. You get a tax deduction now when you're in a higher bracket and pay taxes later at your lower retirement rate.

Other factors include Roth IRAs having no Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) during the original owner's lifetime and more flexible withdrawal rules for contributions. For a side-by-side comparison, see our guide on Roth IRA vs. Traditional IRA.

A Backdoor Roth IRA is not an official type of account but a strategy used by high-income earners to fund a Roth IRA even if their MAGI is above the direct contribution limits.

The process involves two main steps:

1. Contribute to a Traditional IRA: You make a non-deductible contribution to a Traditional IRA. Since there are no income limits for non-deductible contributions, anyone with earned income can do this.
2. Convert to a Roth IRA: Shortly after making the contribution, you convert the Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. You will owe taxes only on any earnings that accumulated between the contribution and the conversion.

This strategy can be complicated by the pro-rata rule if you have other existing pre-tax IRA funds (like from a 401(k) rollover). It's essential to understand the tax implications before proceeding. Use our backdoor Roth IRA calculator to see if this strategy is right for you, or model a potential tax bill with the Roth conversion calculator.

• Balance at Withdrawal: This is the projected total value of your Roth IRA when you plan to start taking money out. It represents the sum of all your contributions and decades of tax-free investment growth.
• Total Contributions: This shows the total amount of money you personally put into the account over the years.
• Tax-Free Growth: This is the "profit" your account is projected to make through investment returns. In a Roth IRA, this entire amount can be withdrawn tax-free in retirement.
• Tax Savings: This estimates how much you save in taxes by using a Roth IRA instead of a standard taxable brokerage account, where you would pay taxes on withdrawals.
• Balance Lasts Until Age: This shows the age at which your Roth IRA is projected to run out of money based on your planned withdrawal rate. If it's equal to your life expectancy, your plan is on track.
• Growth & Withdrawal Charts: The charts provide a powerful visual story. You can see how your balance grows during your working years and how it's drawn down in retirement. The contributions vs. growth chart highlights how, over time, investment growth can become a larger part of your balance than your own contributions.

If your projection shows your Roth IRA running out too early, there are several levers you can pull:

1. Increase Your Annual Contribution: Even a small increase can have a large impact over time due to compounding. If you're not maxing out your contribution, this is the first place to look.
2. Start Saving Earlier: The longer your money has to grow, the more powerful compounding becomes. If you're young, time is your greatest asset.
3. Review Your Investment Strategy: Ensure your funds are invested appropriately for your age and risk tolerance. Money sitting in cash within an IRA will not grow. A higher (but still realistic) expected return can dramatically change the outcome.
4. Consider a Backdoor Roth IRA: If your income is too high for direct contributions, don't give up. A backdoor Roth IRA is a viable strategy to continue funding your account.
5. Adjust Your Withdrawal Plan: Reducing your planned annual withdrawal amount can make your money last significantly longer. Test different scenarios with the calculator to find a sustainable rate.

1. Forgetting to Invest: A common error is contributing money to a Roth IRA but leaving it in a cash or money market settlement fund. An IRA is just an account; you must invest the funds within it for them to grow.
2. Contributing When Ineligible: Failing to check the MAGI limits can lead to excess contributions, which are subject to penalties if not corrected promptly.
3. Misunderstanding the 5-Year Rule: There are two 5-year rules. One applies to conversions, and the other applies to withdrawing earnings. Know which one applies to your situation before taking money out to avoid unexpected taxes and penalties. A Roth conversion ladder can help navigate this for early retirees.
4. Ignoring the Backdoor Roth Option: Many high-income earners assume they can't have a Roth IRA. They miss out on years of tax-free growth by not exploring the backdoor Roth strategy.
5. Withdrawing Earnings Early: Taking out investment earnings before age 59 ½ without a qualifying reason can trigger a 10% penalty and income taxes. Remember that your own contributions can always be withdrawn tax- and penalty-free.