Roth IRA calculator
Project tax-free Roth IRA growth from your annual contributions.
Runs 100% in your browser- Tax-free balance
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- Total contributed
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- Tax-free growth
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How to project a Roth IRA
- Enter current balance. Add what’s already in your Roth IRA.
- Set annual contribution. Enter how much you add per year, the return and years.
- See the tax-free total. Read the projected balance, contributions and growth.
The Roth deal: pay tax now, none later
A Roth IRA is funded with money you have already paid income tax on. In exchange, both the growth and your qualified withdrawals in retirement are completely tax-free — no tax on decades of compounding gains. This calculator projects your current balance plus your annual contribution (added monthly) compounding at the return you set. Because nothing is taxed on the way out, the future value it shows is what you actually get to spend, which is the key difference from a traditional account where the headline balance still owes income tax.
Roth vs traditional, and the order of operations
The choice between a Roth and a traditional (pre-tax) account hinges on tax rates: a Roth wins if your tax rate in retirement is higher than today's, which makes it especially attractive for younger savers and anyone early in their earning curve. A common sequence is to first contribute to a 401(k) up to the full employer match — that match is an unbeatable guaranteed return — then direct further savings into a Roth IRA for tax-free growth, since most 401(k)s offer fewer investment choices. The two accounts complement rather than compete with each other.
Rules this tool does not enforce
Real Roth IRAs come with guardrails the projection ignores: an annual contribution limit, income phase-outs that reduce or eliminate eligibility at higher incomes (often worked around via a "backdoor" conversion), and the rule that contributions can be withdrawn anytime but earnings generally cannot before age 59½ without penalty. Unlike traditional accounts, a Roth has no required minimum distributions in your lifetime. This is a constant-return, pre-limit estimate — not tax advice. For the compounding engine underneath it, see the compound interest calculator.
Educational tool only — not financial advice and not tax advice. Does not enforce IRS limits or income phase-outs; returns vary.
Frequently asked questions
- It projects your Roth IRA balance from your current balance plus annual contributions, compounding at an assumed return until retirement. Because Roth contributions are made with after-tax money, qualified withdrawals — including all the growth — are generally tax-free.
- You pay tax now, not later. If your investments grow a lot, paying tax on the seed rather than the harvest can mean large tax-free withdrawals in retirement.
- A long-run diversified return is often modelled around 6–8% before inflation. Results are sensitive to this — try a range.
- No. It’s an educational projection and does not apply annual contribution limits or income eligibility rules.
- No — it computes in your browser.