Roth IRA calculator
Project your tax-free retirement balance — contribution, expected return, and 2026 MAGI phase-out check. Withdrawals are 100% tax-free in retirement.
What will your Roth IRA be worth?
Breakdown
Retirement income estimate
Roth IRA math, plain English.
You contribute after-tax dollars to a Roth IRA today. The money grows tax-free, and in retirement (age 59½ + account open 5+ years) you withdraw both your contributions and all the investment growth without paying any tax. That's the defining trade-off versus a Traditional IRA — pay now, withdraw free.
- Annual contribution — for 2026 the cap is $7,000 (under 50) or $8,000 (50+). This is a combined limit across Traditional + Roth IRAs.
- Compound growth — your balance plus this year's contribution earns the expected return. Contributions are assumed mid-year (half-year of return in year 1).
- Tax-free withdrawal — qualified distributions (59½ + 5-year rule) are 100% tax-free. No RMDs during your lifetime, unlike Traditional IRAs.
The MAGI phase-out is the big gotcha. For 2026, single filers phase out from $150,000 to $165,000; MFJ from $236,000 to $246,000. Above those, you can't contribute directly — but the backdoor Roth (contribute to a Traditional IRA, then convert) is still available.
The fine print.
- Roth contributions are after-tax dollars — there is no current-year tax deduction. The whole appeal is tax-free growth + tax-free withdrawal.
- No inflation adjustment — the return is nominal. For "today's-dollar" projections, use a real return (e.g. 5% instead of 7%).
- Catch-up auto-applies at 50+ — the IRS cap raised to $8,000 (additional $1,000 catch-up) starting the year you turn 50.
- Contribution is fixed each year — this calc uses the same dollar contribution every year (capped at the IRS limit if you opt in). It does not auto-bump the contribution as cap increases over time.
- MAGI check is informational — if you're over the phase-out, the calculator still projects, but flags the situation. You'd need a backdoor Roth.
- Self-employed with a high income? Consider a Solo 401(k) (no income limit) on top of the Roth IRA.
The 5-year rule: each Roth IRA conversion has its own 5-year clock for the converted dollars to come out penalty-free under age 59½. The clock on your contributions runs from the first Roth opened. Don't trip on this with early retirement.