IRA Calculator
Compare Traditional IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, Roth IRAs, and regular taxable savings accounts from gross pre-tax inputs to project pre-tax and after-tax retirement balances.
IRA Calculator
The IRA calculator can be used to evaluate and compare Traditional IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, Roth IRAs, and regular taxable savings. For comparison purposes, Roth IRA and regular taxable savings will be converted to after-tax values. To calculate Roth IRA with after-tax inputs, please use our Roth IRA Calculator. This calculator is mainly intended for use by U.S. residents.
• Enter your pre-tax Current balance and Annual before-tax contribution.
• Provide your Current marginal tax rate and expected Tax rate in retirement to model tax deduction vs. withdrawal effects.
• Compare 4 vehicles simultaneously: Traditional Pre-Tax, Traditional After-Tax, Roth IRA, and Regular Taxable Savings.
IRA Investment & Tax Parameters
Inputs represent pre-tax amounts; conversions to after-tax equivalents are performed automatically.
$949,016
A Traditional, SIMPLE, or SEP IRA account can accumulate $111,649 more after-tax balance than a Roth IRA account at age 65.
A Roth IRA account can accumulate $253,304 more than a regular taxable savings account.
Comparative Performance at Age 65
| Comparison Row | Traditional / SEP / SIMPLE | Roth IRA | Regular Taxable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balance at age 65 | $1,116,489 | $837,367 | $584,063 |
| Balance at age 65 (after tax) | $949,016 | $837,367 | $584,063 |
Balance Accumulation Graph
Visual comparison of nominal pre-tax vs. net after-tax growth trajectories.
Annual Schedule
Year-by-year multi-vehicle accumulation breakdown.
| Age | Traditional / SEP (Before Tax) | Traditional / SEP (After Tax) | Roth IRA (After Tax) | Regular Taxable (After Tax) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | Start | End | Start | End | Start | End | |
| 31 | $30,000 | $39,750 | $25,500 | $33,788 | $22,500 | $29,813 | $22,500 | $29,391 |
| 32 | $39,750 | $50,085 | $33,788 | $42,572 | $29,813 | $37,564 | $29,391 | $36,591 |
| 33 | $50,085 | $61,040 | $42,572 | $51,884 | $37,564 | $45,780 | $36,591 | $44,116 |
| 34 | $61,040 | $72,653 | $51,884 | $61,755 | $45,780 | $54,489 | $44,116 | $51,979 |
| 35 | $72,653 | $84,962 | $61,755 | $72,217 | $54,489 | $63,721 | $51,979 | $60,197 |
| 36 | $84,962 | $98,009 | $72,217 | $83,308 | $63,721 | $73,507 | $60,197 | $68,784 |
| 37 | $98,009 | $111,840 | $83,308 | $95,064 | $73,507 | $83,880 | $68,784 | $77,757 |
| 38 | $111,840 | $126,500 | $95,064 | $107,525 | $83,880 | $94,875 | $77,757 | $87,134 |
| 39 | $126,500 | $142,040 | $107,525 | $120,734 | $94,875 | $106,530 | $87,134 | $96,933 |
| 40 | $142,040 | $158,513 | $120,734 | $134,736 | $106,530 | $118,885 | $96,933 | $107,173 |
| 41 | $158,513 | $175,974 | $134,736 | $149,577 | $118,885 | $131,980 | $107,173 | $117,874 |
| 42 | $175,974 | $194,482 | $149,577 | $165,310 | $131,980 | $145,861 | $117,874 | $129,057 |
| 43 | $194,482 | $214,101 | $165,310 | $181,986 | $145,861 | $160,576 | $129,057 | $140,743 |
| 44 | $214,101 | $234,897 | $181,986 | $199,662 | $160,576 | $176,173 | $140,743 | $152,954 |
| 45 | $234,897 | $256,941 | $199,662 | $218,400 | $176,173 | $192,706 | $152,954 | $165,715 |
| 46 | $256,941 | $280,307 | $218,400 | $238,261 | $192,706 | $210,230 | $165,715 | $179,050 |
| 47 | $280,307 | $305,076 | $238,261 | $259,314 | $210,230 | $228,807 | $179,050 | $192,986 |
| 48 | $305,076 | $331,330 | $259,314 | $281,631 | $228,807 | $248,498 | $192,986 | $207,548 |
| 49 | $331,330 | $359,160 | $281,631 | $305,286 | $248,498 | $269,370 | $207,548 | $222,766 |
| 50 | $359,160 | $388,660 | $305,286 | $330,361 | $269,370 | $291,495 | $222,766 | $238,669 |
| 51 | $388,660 | $419,929 | $330,361 | $356,940 | $291,495 | $314,947 | $238,669 | $255,287 |
| 52 | $419,929 | $453,075 | $356,940 | $385,114 | $314,947 | $339,806 | $255,287 | $272,653 |
| 53 | $453,075 | $488,209 | $385,114 | $414,978 | $339,806 | $366,157 | $272,653 | $290,800 |
| 54 | $488,209 | $525,452 | $414,978 | $446,634 | $366,157 | $394,089 | $290,800 | $309,765 |
| 55 | $525,452 | $564,929 | $446,634 | $480,190 | $394,089 | $423,697 | $309,765 | $329,582 |
| 56 | $564,929 | $606,775 | $480,190 | $515,759 | $423,697 | $455,081 | $329,582 | $350,291 |
| 57 | $606,775 | $651,131 | $515,759 | $553,462 | $455,081 | $488,348 | $350,291 | $371,933 |
| 58 | $651,131 | $698,149 | $553,462 | $593,427 | $488,348 | $523,612 | $371,933 | $394,548 |
| 59 | $698,149 | $747,988 | $593,427 | $635,790 | $523,612 | $560,991 | $394,548 | $418,181 |
| 60 | $747,988 | $800,817 | $635,790 | $680,695 | $560,991 | $600,613 | $418,181 | $442,877 |
| 61 | $800,817 | $856,816 | $680,695 | $728,294 | $600,613 | $642,612 | $442,877 | $468,684 |
| 62 | $856,816 | $916,175 | $728,294 | $778,749 | $642,612 | $687,132 | $468,684 | $495,653 |
| 63 | $916,175 | $979,096 | $778,749 | $832,231 | $687,132 | $734,322 | $495,653 | $523,836 |
| 64 | $979,096 | $1,045,792 | $832,231 | $888,923 | $734,322 | $784,344 | $523,836 | $553,287 |
| 65 | $1,045,792 | $1,116,489 | $888,923 | $949,016 | $784,344 | $837,367 | $553,287 | $584,063 |
Traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA vs. Taxable Brokerage
Choosing between pre-tax and post-tax retirement vehicles depends primarily on your current tax bracket compared to your expected tax bracket in retirement.
Traditional / SEP / SIMPLE
Contributions are pre-tax or tax-deductible, reducing your taxable income today. Assets grow tax-deferred, and distributions in retirement are taxed as ordinary income.
Roth IRA
Funded with post-tax earnings. All capital growth, dividends, and retirement distributions are 100% tax-free, making Roth accounts optimal if your retirement tax rate will be equal to or higher than today.
Taxable Brokerage
No annual contribution limits or withdrawal restrictions, but returns face annual tax drag on dividends and realized capital gains, reducing total long-term wealth.
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Understanding IRA Calculator & Formula
The IRA Calculator on CalculatorScale.com is engineered to deliver instant, mathematically verified calculations conforming strictly to standard institutional equations. Whether planning long-term investments, managing household budgets, tracking clinical fitness targets, analyzing academic genetics, calculating veterinary dosages, or converting dimensional units, every calculation updates dynamically in real time without lag.
Every formula used in this tool adheres to certified international standards, including World Health Organization biometric metrics, veterinary clinical guidelines, NIST physical conversion constants, and standard biological equations. Results are computed entirely client-side inside your browser with complete data privacy, ensuring your sensitive numbers and statistics never leave your device.
Our calculators are 100% free with no registration, subscriptions, or paywalls required. You can toggle between imperial and metric units, customize input parameters, export calculation summaries, or embed this calculator directly into your own website or blog.
How to Use the IRA Calculator
- 1 Enter your current pre-tax retirement balance ($B_0) and gross annual before-tax contribution ($C_{\text{pre}}).
- 2 Input your expected annual investment rate of return (%).
- 3 Specify your current age and anticipated retirement age to establish your investment timeline.
- 4 Enter your current working marginal tax rate (%) and expected tax rate during retirement (%).
- 5 Click "Calculate" to generate the multi-account comparison matrix, dynamic takeaway summary, multi-line balance graph, and year-by-year schedule.
IRA Calculator — Frequently Asked Questions
Q1 What is the main difference between Traditional, SEP, SIMPLE, and Roth IRAs? ▾
Traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs provide upfront tax deductions on contributions, allowing pre-tax money to compound tax-deferred until withdrawals in retirement, which are taxed as ordinary income. Roth IRAs use post-tax contributions, but all future growth and retirement withdrawals are 100% tax-free.
Q2 How does the calculator convert pre-tax contributions to Roth and Taxable accounts? ▾
To ensure a mathematically fair comparison starting from pre-tax dollars, the calculator converts pre-tax contributions ($C_{\text{pre}}$) to after-tax amounts using your current marginal tax rate: $C_{\text{post}} = C_{\text{pre}} \times (1 - \tau_{\text{curr}})$.
Q3 When is a Traditional IRA better than a Roth IRA? ▾
A Traditional IRA is typically more advantageous if you expect your marginal tax rate during retirement to be lower than your current tax rate while working. If you expect your tax rate in retirement to be higher, a Roth IRA generally yields greater after-tax wealth.
Q4 What are SEP and SIMPLE IRAs? ▾
SEP (Simplified Employee Pension) IRAs and SIMPLE (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees) IRAs are tax-deferred retirement plans designed for self-employed individuals and small business owners, featuring higher contribution limits than standard Traditional IRAs.
Q5 Why does a regular taxable savings account lag behind IRAs? ▾
In a regular taxable brokerage account, you pay upfront income taxes on your deposits and ongoing annual taxes on interest, dividends, and realized capital gains. This annual tax drag significantly dampens exponential compound growth over long time horizons.
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