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Compare Roth vs Traditional IRA growth and after-tax value using 2026 contribution limits and income phase-outs.
Roth IRA Balance at Retirement
$967,658
$967,658 after-tax withdrawal — 100% tax-free
Roth vs Traditional
Roth After-Tax
$967,658
Traditional After-Tax
$967,658
Traditional Balance (pre-tax)
$1,240,587
Traditional Tax Savings/yr
$1,540
Marginal Rate Now
22%
Years to Grow
35 yrs
Growth Comparison
| Year | Roth | Trad (pre-tax) |
|---|---|---|
| Yr 5 | $40,255 | $51,609 |
| Yr 10 | $96,715 | $123,994 |
| Yr 20 | $286,968 | $367,908 |
| Yr 30 | $661,226 | $847,725 |
| Yr 35 | $967,658 | $1,240,587 |
Disclaimer
This is an estimate. Actual tax treatment, contribution limits, and income limits change annually. Consult a tax professional.
Roth IRA Calculator compares Roth and Traditional IRA after-tax balances at retirement, checks 2026 income eligibility (phase-out $146K–$161K single), and shows annual tax savings from pre-tax Traditional contributions at your marginal rate.
Roth IRA Calculator is a high-performance utility designed to help users streamline their workflow. Built with modern web technologies, it ensures fast processing times and high-quality outputs directly in your browser.
Roth balance = annual contribution × ((1+r)^years − 1)/r. Traditional comparison uses an equivalent pre-tax contribution (after-tax contrib ÷ (1 − marginal rate)) to account for the current-year tax deduction. After-tax Traditional value = Traditional balance × (1 − assumed retirement rate of 22%). 2026 contribution limits: $7,000 under 50, $8,000 at 50+. Eligibility phase-out: $146K–$161K single, $230K–$240K MFJ.
For 2026, Roth IRA contributions phase out between $146,000–$161,000 for single filers and $230,000–$240,000 for married filing jointly. Above these limits, direct contributions aren't allowed — but a Backdoor Roth IRA remains an option.
If you expect to be in a higher tax bracket in retirement than now, Roth wins (pay tax now at lower rate, withdraw tax-free). If your current bracket is higher, Traditional wins (deduct now, pay tax later). Many financial advisors recommend Roth for those early in their careers.
The 2026 Roth IRA contribution limit is $7,000 for those under 50 and $8,000 for those 50 and older. This is the same limit for Traditional IRAs, and the total across all IRAs can't exceed this amount.
If your income exceeds the Roth IRA limit, you can make a non-deductible Traditional IRA contribution and then immediately convert it to Roth (a 'backdoor' conversion). This is legal but requires tracking cost basis to avoid double taxation.
Project your 401(k) balance at retirement with employer match and salary growth.
Project investment growth over any time horizon with contributions, CAGR, and inflation-adjusted returns.
Calculate how money grows with compound interest — lump sum plus regular contributions, any compounding frequency.