See how much your Roth IRA could grow by retirement — completely tax-free. Adjust contributions, timeline, and return rate to find your number.
Enter your current age, target retirement age, existing Roth IRA balance, annual contribution, expected return, and current tax bracket. The calculator projects your tax-free balance and compares it against what a Traditional IRA would yield after taxes at withdrawal.
The 2025 Roth IRA contribution limit is $7,000/year ($8,000 if age 50+). Income limits apply: single filers phase out at $150,000–$165,000 MAGI; married filing jointly at $236,000–$246,000.
Roth IRA: Contribute after-tax dollars now. All growth and withdrawals in retirement are tax-free. Best if you expect to be in a higher tax bracket at retirement.
Traditional IRA: Contribute pre-tax dollars now (tax deduction today). Pay income tax on withdrawals in retirement. Best if you expect to be in a lower bracket at retirement.
A Roth IRA is an individual retirement account where you contribute after-tax dollars. Your money grows tax-free, and qualified withdrawals in retirement are completely tax-free — including all the investment gains. Unlike a Traditional IRA, there are no required minimum distributions (RMDs) during the owner's lifetime, making it also a useful estate planning tool.
For 2025, the limit is $7,000/year ($8,000 if you're 50 or older). However, your ability to contribute phases out based on your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI): for single filers, the phase-out range is $150,000–$165,000. For married filing jointly: $236,000–$246,000. Above those limits, you cannot contribute directly to a Roth IRA.
The classic guidance: choose Roth if you expect to be in a higher tax bracket in retirement than today; choose Traditional if you expect a lower bracket. In practice, most people benefit from having both. Young workers in lower brackets almost always benefit most from Roth. High earners at peak earnings often benefit from Traditional (or a backdoor Roth).
You can withdraw your contributions (not earnings) at any time without penalty — they were already taxed. To withdraw earnings tax-free, the account must be at least 5 years old and you must be 59½ or older. Early withdrawals of earnings are subject to taxes and a 10% penalty, with some exceptions (first home purchase, disability, etc.).