Roth IRA Calculator
Project Roth IRA growth from your contribution, years and expected return -- tax-free at withdrawal -- compared side by side with the same dollars in a taxable account.
2026 limit: $7,500/yr ($8,600 at 50+).
For the taxable-account comparison below.
Roth IRA (tax-free)
$689,105.36
Same money, taxable account
$515,840.82
Roth advantage
$173,264.54
Total contributed over 30 years: $210,000.00. The taxable column assumes gains are taxed every year at your marginal rate as they're earned, not once at sale -- see the explainer below for why that's the conservative assumption.
How it's calculated
The Roth side is a standard annual-contribution future value, compounded monthly, with no tax applied at any point (contributions are already after-tax; qualified withdrawals are tax-free):
FVRoth = PMT × [((1 + i)n − 1) / i], compounded monthly at your entered rate
The taxable side runs the identical contribution stream, but at a reduced, after-tax rate -- modeling gains taxed every year at your marginal rate as they're earned, rather than deferred to a single sale:
rafter-tax = r × (1 − marginal rate)
This is the standard simplification most public Roth-vs-taxable calculators use, and it's the conservative direction for the taxable column: a real brokerage account taxed once at sale (long-term capital gains, often at a lower rate than ordinary income) usually ends up somewhat ahead of what's shown here, so the Roth advantage on this page is a reasonable upper bound, not a lower one.
Worked example
The calculator's own defaults: $7,000/yr for 30 years at a 7% return, 22% marginal tax rate.
| Total contributed | $210,000.00 |
| Roth balance (tax-free) | $689,105.36 |
| Taxable-account balance | $515,840.82 |
| Roth advantage | $173,264.54 |
That advantage is 33.6% more than the taxable account, entirely from never paying tax on the growth. Plug the same numbers into the calculator above and it lands on the same figures to the penny.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 2026 Roth IRA contribution limit?
$7,500/yr if you're under 50, or $8,600/yr (a $1,100 catch-up) at 50 or older. Source: IRS Notice 2025-67 (https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-25-67.pdf). This is the combined limit across all your traditional and Roth IRAs, not per account -- and it phases out at higher incomes, which this calculator doesn't model.
Roth or traditional -- which is actually better for me?
It depends entirely on whether your tax rate now is higher or lower than it'll be in retirement, which nobody can know for certain. VersusMath's Roth vs. traditional comparison (versusmath.com/roth-vs-traditional-calculator) lays out that trade-off, income limits and conversion rules side by side in more depth than fits on this page.
Why does the taxable account fall behind Roth even at a low tax rate?
Because this calculator taxes the taxable account's gains every single year, compounding the drag -- a Roth account never pays tax on its growth at all. A real brokerage account taxed only once, at sale, often does somewhat better than shown here; see the note in the explainer below.
Can I withdraw Roth IRA contributions early without penalty?
Generally yes -- your own contributions (not earnings) can be withdrawn at any time, tax- and penalty-free, since you already paid tax on that money. Earnings withdrawn before age 59½ and before the account is 5 years old usually trigger tax and a 10% penalty, with some exceptions. This calculator doesn't model early withdrawals.
Does this account for income limits on Roth contributions?
No. Roth IRA eligibility phases out above certain income levels, which change most years and depend on filing status. Check the current IRS limits for your situation before assuming you can contribute the full amount modeled here.
Figures on this page are estimates from the inputs you enter, not financial advice, and this site is not affiliated with any employer, plan administrator, bank or the IRS. Real accounts vary by plan rules, taxes and fees this tool doesn't model -- see the Terms.