Retirement

Roth IRA Calculator

A Roth IRA grows tax-free forever: you contribute after-tax dollars today and never pay tax on the growth. Project what steady contributions could become by retirement, see exactly how much is tax-free earnings, and check your plan against the 2026 contribution limit of $7,500.

Formula shown below · Checked against published figures for 2026How we verify

Annual contribution

2026 limit: $7,500 ($8,600 with the age-50+ catch-up).

Current Roth IRA balance

Current age

Retirement age

Expected annual return

Tax-free balance at 65

$1,298,252

Earnings you'll never pay tax on: $1,020,752
Total contributions: $277,500
Monthly saving required: $625.00
Years of tax-free compounding: 35

Growth by age

Age	Balance	Tax-free earnings
35	$66,010	$13,510
40	$138,323	$48,323
45	$240,836	$113,336
50	$386,160	$221,160
55	$592,176	$389,676
60	$884,230	$644,230
65	$1,298,252	$1,020,752

Compare scenariosTry three values of one input

Vary

Roth IRA Calculator results for three values of Annual contribution
Annual contribution
Tax-free balance at 65	$1,193,196	$1,298,252+$105,056	$1,418,328+$225,132
Earnings you'll never pay tax on	$940,194	$1,020,752+$80,558	$1,112,826+$172,632
Total contributions	$253,001	$277,500+$24,499	$305,501+$52,500
Monthly saving required	$566.67	$625.00+$58.33	$691.67+$125.00

Every other input stays at the value you set above — currently $7,500 for annual contribution. Differences are measured against the first column.

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How this calculator works

Contributions are spread monthly and compounded at your expected return in exact cents. 'Tax-free earnings' is the projected balance minus everything you put in — the amount that would have been taxable in an ordinary brokerage account.

The 2026 limits come from IRS Notice 2025-67 (verified July 2026). Income-based phase-outs are not modeled — if your income may exceed the Roth thresholds, verify eligibility before contributing.

Formula

FV = B(1+i)ⁿ + min(C, L) × ((1+i)ⁿ − 1) ÷ i

B: Current balance
C: Your annual contribution
L: Annual IRA contribution limit, shared across all your IRAs
i: Expected annual return, as a decimal
n: Years of contributions

No tax term appears because qualified Roth withdrawals are untaxed — the entire balance is yours. That is the whole difference from the traditional IRA projection, where the result is reduced by your retirement tax rate on the way out.

What this assumes

A constant annual return, compounded on schedule. Real markets deliver the same average through years that look nothing alike.
Contributions continue at the amount entered, up to the annual limit shared across all your IRAs.
Qualified withdrawals are tax-free after 59½ and five years — the projection shows the full balance because none of it is owed in tax.

What changes this number

Years of compounding: Dominant, as everywhere. The final decade contributes disproportionately.
Whether you contribute the full limit: The limit applies to the nominal amount, so a full Roth contribution shelters more than the same after-tax cost in a traditional account.
Assumed return: Test the plan at 5%. One that only works at 7% is a hope rather than a plan.

A worked example

Take the max it from 25 to 65 scenario. These figures are produced by the calculator above, not written alongside it, so they always match what the tool returns.

What you enter

Annual contribution: $7,500
Current Roth IRA balance: $0
Current age: 25 years
Retirement age: 65 years

What it returns

Tax-free balance at 65: $1,640,508
Earnings you'll never pay tax on: $1,340,508
Total contributions: $300,000
Monthly saving required: $625.00
Years of tax-free compounding: 40

Sources

IRS Notice 2025-67 (2026 retirement plan limitations)
Published November 2025 · Figures last verified July 2, 2026

Calculator last reviewed August 8, 2026. How we verify

Try an example

Max it from 25 to 65 Half the limit from 35 50+ with catch-up

Frequently asked questions

How much can I put in a Roth IRA in 2026?

$7,500 for 2026, plus a $1,100 catch-up if you're 50 or older (IRS Notice 2025-67). The limit is shared across all your traditional and Roth IRAs combined, and you need earned income at least equal to your contribution.

What makes a Roth IRA different from a traditional IRA?

Timing of the tax. Traditional: deduct now, pay income tax on withdrawals. Roth: no deduction now, but qualified withdrawals — contributions AND decades of growth — are completely tax-free after 59½ (with the account 5+ years old). Roth also has no required minimum distributions during your lifetime.

Are there income limits for Roth IRA contributions?

Yes — the ability to contribute phases out at higher incomes (the ranges adjust annually; check the IRS page for the current year's thresholds for your filing status). High earners often use the 'backdoor Roth' — a non-deductible traditional IRA contribution converted to Roth — with a tax professional's guidance.

Can I withdraw money before retirement?

Your contributions (not earnings) can come out any time, tax- and penalty-free — a flexibility no 401(k) offers. Earnings withdrawn early are generally taxed plus a 10% penalty, with exceptions like a first-home purchase (up to $10,000). The best move is still to leave it compounding.

Roth IRA or 401(k) first?

The standard order: 401(k) up to the full employer match (free money), then Roth IRA to the limit (tax-free growth plus flexibility and better fund choices), then back to the 401(k). Adjust if you have high-interest debt or expect unusual tax circumstances.

This calculator helps answer

Roth or traditional — which should I use?

The usual framing asks whether your tax rate is higher now or later. That is correct but incomplete, and it hides the reason a Roth is often the better account even at identical rates.