Roth IRA Calculator: See How Much Your Roth IRA Will Be Worth
Roth IRA Growth Calculator (2026)
Live IRS phase-out engine + tax-free vs. taxable-account comparison.
Year-by-year Roth IRA projection
Compound growth applied at year-end| Age | Contribution | Growth | Cumulative contributions | Roth balance |
|---|
How to use this Roth IRA calculator
Enter six numbers and the calculator does the rest: current age, retirement age, filing status, MAGI, starting balance, and annual contribution. The tool immediately applies the 2026 IRS phase-out rules and tells you the exact dollar amount you're allowed to contribute this year. Adjust the expected return (a realistic long-term S&P 500 assumption is 6–8%) and your marginal tax rate to see how much a Roth IRA outperforms a comparable taxable brokerage account.
The output card shows your projected Roth IRA balance at retirement, splits the total into your contributions versus tax-free growth, and calculates what the same investment would yield after annual dividend and capital-gains taxes in a regular taxable account. Scroll down to see the full year-by-year schedule.
What is a Roth IRA?
A Roth IRA is a tax-advantaged individual retirement account funded with after-tax dollars. You pay income tax on the money before it goes in, then never pay tax again — not on the growth, not on qualified withdrawals in retirement. This trade-off makes Roth IRAs especially powerful for people who expect their tax rate in retirement to equal or exceed today's rate.
Roth IRAs are governed by Internal Revenue Code §408A and IRS Publication 590-A. Three features make them stand out from every other retirement vehicle in the U.S.:
- Tax-free qualified withdrawals once you're 59½ and the account is at least five years old.
- Contributions are always accessible. You can pull your original contributions (not earnings) out at any age, tax-free and penalty-free.
- No required minimum distributions (RMDs) during the original owner's lifetime, unlike traditional IRAs and 401(k)s.
2026 Roth IRA contribution & income limits
The IRS raised both the base contribution and the catch-up amount for 2026 (IRS Newsroom).
| Filing status | Full contribution (MAGI ≤) | Phase-out range | Zero contribution (MAGI ≥) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single / Head of Household | $153,000 | $153,000 – $168,000 | $168,000 |
| Married Filing Jointly | $242,000 | $242,000 – $252,000 | $252,000 |
| Married Filing Separately | $0 (partial only) | $0 – $10,000 | $10,000 |
Annual contribution limits: $7,500 if under 50, or $8,600 if age 50+ (a $1,100 catch-up). The 2026 contribution deadline is April 15, 2027, or October 15, 2027 if you file a valid tax extension (Fidelity, Vanguard).
How the Roth IRA phase-out actually works
If your MAGI falls inside the phase-out range, the IRS reduces your maximum contribution proportionally using a formula from Publication 590-A. In plain English:
Example — single filer, age 35, MAGI $161,000: They're inside the $153,000–$168,000 phase-out. The reduction ratio is (161,000 − 153,000) ÷ 15,000 = 0.5333. Their allowed contribution is $7,500 × (1 − 0.5333) = $3,500 (rounded down to the nearest $10 per IRS rules, with a $200 minimum if any amount remains).
Roth IRA growth formula & math explained
The calculator uses the standard compound-growth formula with annual contributions treated as an ordinary annuity:
Where FV is the future Roth IRA balance, PV is your starting balance, PMT is your annual contribution, r is your expected annual return, and n is years until retirement. Because Roth withdrawals are tax-free, every dollar of FV is yours — no future tax haircut required.
How much will my Roth IRA be worth?
Starting age matters more than any other input. Here's what a fully funded 2026-limit Roth IRA ($7,500/year, 7% return) grows to by age 65:
| Starting age | Years invested | Total contributions | Roth IRA balance at 65 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 40 | $300,000 | ~$1,598,000 |
| 30 | 35 | $262,500 | ~$1,109,000 |
| 35 | 30 | $225,000 | ~$758,000 |
| 40 | 25 | $187,500 | ~$506,000 |
| 45 | 20 | $150,000 | ~$328,000 |
Every five-year delay past 25 costs roughly $490,000 of tax-free retirement money. That's the power (and the cost) of compound growth inside a Roth wrapper.
Roth IRA vs. Traditional IRA: which wins?
The answer comes down to when you want the tax break — now or later (Fidelity, Vanguard).
| Feature | Roth IRA | Traditional IRA |
|---|---|---|
| Contributions | After-tax (no deduction) | Pre-tax (often deductible) |
| Growth | Tax-free | Tax-deferred |
| Qualified withdrawals | Tax-free at 59½ | Taxed as ordinary income |
| Income limits | Yes (phase-out) | No limit on contributions* |
| RMDs | None (owner's lifetime) | Yes, starting age 73 |
| Early withdrawal of contributions | Anytime, tax/penalty-free | 10% penalty + tax |
*Traditional IRA deductibility phases out at higher incomes when you or your spouse is covered by a workplace plan.
Rule of thumb: Choose Roth if your current tax bracket is 22% or lower and you expect equal-or-higher taxes in retirement. Choose traditional if you're in the 32% bracket or higher today and expect a lower bracket later. Splitting contributions across both is often the smartest hedge.
The Roth IRA 5-year rule and withdrawal rules
Two separate 5-year rules control Roth IRA withdrawals — mixing them up is the most common Roth mistake (Fidelity).
- The contribution 5-year rule. Earnings become tax-free only after your first Roth IRA has been open for five tax years and you're 59½ or older. The clock starts January 1 of the tax year of your first contribution.
- The conversion 5-year rule. Each Roth conversion has its own 5-year clock. Withdrawing converted principal within 5 years while under 59½ triggers a 10% penalty on that conversion (though not ordinary income tax).
Contributions are different. You can withdraw your original direct contributions at any age, any time, tax-free and penalty-free — no 5-year wait required (Calculator.net).
Backdoor Roth IRA for high earners
A backdoor Roth IRA is a legal two-step conversion that lets high earners bypass the MAGI phase-out. The strategy is IRS-sanctioned and widely used by professionals whose income exceeds the direct-contribution limit (Schwab, J.P. Morgan).
- Contribute to a nondeductible traditional IRA. Traditional IRAs have no income cap on contributions.
- Convert to Roth IRA promptly. Because the traditional contribution was nondeductible, only investment gains between contribution and conversion are taxed.
7 tips to maximize your Roth IRA
- Fund it on January 2. Every year of tax-free compounding matters — early contributions grow one extra year.
- Automate monthly contributions. $625/month reaches the 2026 max of $7,500; $717/month hits the $8,600 catch-up limit.
- Invest in a broad-market index fund to capture long-term equity returns with minimal fees.
- Contribute for a non-working spouse using a spousal Roth IRA (both spouses can contribute if MFJ MAGI is under the phase-out).
- Use the backdoor Roth once your MAGI crosses the direct-contribution ceiling.
- Never withdraw earnings early unless a qualified exception applies — you lose the compounding permanently.
- Name a beneficiary today. Roth IRAs pass outside probate and can be stretched by non-spouse beneficiaries for up to 10 years.
↑ Run your numbers in the calculator
Roth IRA calculator FAQ
What is the Roth IRA contribution limit for 2026?
For 2026, you can contribute up to $7,500 to a Roth IRA if you're under 50, or $8,600 if you're 50 or older — a $1,100 catch-up. The limit phases out at higher incomes (IRS).
What are the Roth IRA income limits for 2026?
For 2026, the MAGI phase-out is $153,000–$168,000 for single filers, $242,000–$252,000 for married filing jointly, and $0–$10,000 for married filing separately.
How much will my Roth IRA be worth?
Contributing $7,500 a year for 30 years at a 7% return grows to about $708,000 — every dollar tax-free. Use the calculator above to model your own age, income, and return assumptions.
How does the Roth IRA 5-year rule work?
Your Roth IRA must be open five tax years and you must be at least 59½ to withdraw earnings tax-free. Contributions are always available tax- and penalty-free regardless of age or account age.
Is a Roth IRA better than a traditional IRA?
Choose Roth if you expect your tax bracket in retirement to be equal to or higher than today. Choose traditional if you expect a lower bracket later. Many investors split contributions to hedge.
What is a backdoor Roth IRA?
A backdoor Roth IRA is a strategy where high earners contribute to a nondeductible traditional IRA and immediately convert to Roth, bypassing income limits. It's subject to the IRS pro-rata rule if you hold other pre-tax IRA balances.
Can I withdraw Roth IRA contributions anytime?
Yes. Original direct contributions can be withdrawn anytime, at any age, tax-free and penalty-free. Earnings and conversion principal have separate 5-year rules.
How much should I put in a Roth IRA per month?
To max out the 2026 Roth IRA at $7,500, contribute $625 per month. Age 50+? Contribute about $717 per month to hit the $8,600 catch-up limit.
Does a Roth IRA have required minimum distributions?
No. The original owner of a Roth IRA is never required to take RMDs, which is a major advantage over traditional IRAs and 401(k)s. RMD rules can apply to inherited Roth IRAs.
What is MAGI and how do I calculate it?
MAGI (modified adjusted gross income) is your AGI plus certain deductions added back — traditional IRA deduction, student-loan interest deduction, foreign earned income exclusion, and a few others. For most W-2 employees, MAGI equals or nearly equals AGI on line 11 of Form 1040.
Sources & methodology
- IRS — 2026 contribution limits — irs.gov
- IRS — IRA contribution limits & deduction phase-outs — irs.gov
- IRS — Exceptions to 10% early-withdrawal tax (Topic 558) — irs.gov
- Vanguard — Roth IRA income and contribution limits 2026 — vanguard.com
- Fidelity — Roth IRA 5-year rule — fidelity.com
- Schwab — Backdoor Roth IRA — schwab.com
Calculator uses the standard future-value formula with annual compounding. Taxable-account comparison applies your marginal tax rate to annual growth as a drag equivalent. Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not tax or investment advice.