Roth IRA Calculator
Simulate and compare long-term tax-free compound retirement growth inside a Roth IRA vs. a regular taxable brokerage account, factoring in statutory contribution limits, catch-up rules, and annual tax drag.
Roth IRA Calculator
This calculator estimates the balances of Roth IRA savings and compares them with a regular taxable account. It is mainly intended for use by U.S. residents. For calculations or more information concerning other types of IRAs, please visit our IRA Calculator.
• Enter your Current balance, Annual contribution, expected annual Rate of return, and target Retirement age.
• Toggle Maximize contributions to automatically enforce statutory annual IRS caps with catch-up contributions ($7k under 50, $8k for age 50+).
• Specify your Marginal tax rate to contrast 100% tax-free Roth growth against annual investment earnings drag in a standard taxable brokerage account.
Roth IRA Investment Inputs
Model your current balance, contribution limits, timeline, and tax rate.
$1,116,489
Roth IRA vs. Taxable Account Breakdown
| Metric | Roth IRA | Taxable account |
|---|---|---|
| Balance at age 65 | $1,116,489 | $778,750 |
| Total principal | $292,500 | $292,500 |
| Total interest | $823,989 | $486,250 |
| Total tax | $0 | $162,083 |
Balance Accumulation Graph
Long-term comparative wealth growth trajectories by investor age.
Annual Schedule
Year-by-year starting balances, contributions, tax deductions, and ending totals.
| Age | Principal | Roth IRA | Taxable account | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | Start | End | Start | End | |
| 31 | $30,000 | $37,500 | $30,000 | $39,750 | $30,000 | $39,188 |
| 32 | $37,500 | $45,000 | $39,750 | $50,085 | $39,188 | $48,788 |
| 33 | $45,000 | $52,500 | $50,085 | $61,040 | $48,788 | $58,821 |
| 34 | $52,500 | $60,000 | $61,040 | $72,653 | $58,821 | $69,306 |
| 35 | $60,000 | $67,500 | $72,653 | $84,962 | $69,306 | $80,262 |
| 36 | $67,500 | $75,000 | $84,962 | $98,009 | $80,262 | $91,711 |
| 37 | $75,000 | $82,500 | $98,009 | $111,840 | $91,711 | $103,676 |
| 38 | $82,500 | $90,000 | $111,840 | $126,500 | $103,676 | $116,179 |
| 39 | $90,000 | $97,500 | $126,500 | $142,040 | $116,179 | $129,244 |
| 40 | $97,500 | $105,000 | $142,040 | $158,513 | $129,244 | $142,898 |
| 41 | $105,000 | $112,500 | $158,513 | $175,974 | $142,898 | $157,166 |
| 42 | $112,500 | $120,000 | $175,974 | $194,482 | $157,166 | $172,076 |
| 43 | $120,000 | $127,500 | $194,482 | $214,101 | $172,076 | $187,657 |
| 44 | $127,500 | $135,000 | $214,101 | $234,897 | $187,657 | $203,939 |
| 45 | $135,000 | $142,500 | $234,897 | $256,941 | $203,939 | $220,953 |
| 46 | $142,500 | $150,000 | $256,941 | $280,307 | $220,953 | $238,734 |
| 47 | $150,000 | $157,500 | $280,307 | $305,076 | $238,734 | $257,314 |
| 48 | $157,500 | $165,000 | $305,076 | $331,330 | $257,314 | $276,731 |
| 49 | $165,000 | $172,500 | $331,330 | $359,160 | $276,731 | $297,021 |
| 50 | $172,500 | $180,000 | $359,160 | $388,660 | $297,021 | $318,225 |
| 51 | $180,000 | $187,500 | $388,660 | $419,929 | $318,225 | $340,383 |
| 52 | $187,500 | $195,000 | $419,929 | $453,075 | $340,383 | $363,537 |
| 53 | $195,000 | $202,500 | $453,075 | $488,209 | $363,537 | $387,734 |
| 54 | $202,500 | $210,000 | $488,209 | $525,452 | $387,734 | $413,019 |
| 55 | $210,000 | $217,500 | $525,452 | $564,929 | $413,019 | $439,443 |
| 56 | $217,500 | $225,000 | $564,929 | $606,775 | $439,443 | $467,055 |
| 57 | $225,000 | $232,500 | $606,775 | $651,131 | $467,055 | $495,910 |
| 58 | $232,500 | $240,000 | $651,131 | $698,149 | $495,910 | $526,064 |
| 59 | $240,000 | $247,500 | $698,149 | $747,988 | $526,064 | $557,574 |
| 60 | $247,500 | $255,000 | $747,988 | $800,817 | $557,574 | $590,502 |
| 61 | $255,000 | $262,500 | $800,817 | $856,816 | $590,502 | $624,913 |
| 62 | $262,500 | $270,000 | $856,816 | $916,175 | $624,913 | $660,871 |
| 63 | $270,000 | $277,500 | $916,175 | $979,096 | $660,871 | $698,448 |
| 64 | $277,500 | $285,000 | $979,096 | $1,045,792 | $698,448 | $737,715 |
| 65 | $285,000 | $292,500 | $1,045,792 | $1,116,489 | $737,715 | $778,750 |
Why Invest in a Roth IRA vs. a Regular Brokerage Account?
A Roth IRA is an individual retirement account funded with after-tax dollars. Because you pay taxes upfront, all future capital gains, dividends, and interest compound completely tax-free and can be withdrawn 100% tax-free in retirement.
Tax-Free Compounding
In a taxable account, taxes on dividends and capital gains drag down your annual compounding growth rate. In a Roth IRA, 100% of your earnings stay invested to generate further returns.
Contribution & Catch-Up Limits
For 2024–2026, the annual statutory limit is $7,000 for individuals under age 50, and $8,000 for individuals age 50 and older (including the $1,000 catch-up contribution).
No Required Distributions (RMDs)
Unlike Traditional IRAs and 401(k)s, Roth IRAs do not have Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) during the original owner's lifetime, allowing wealth to compound undisturbed.
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Understanding Roth IRA Calculator & Formula
The Roth IRA Calculator on CalculatorScale.com is engineered to deliver instant, mathematically verified calculations conforming strictly to standard institutional equations. Whether planning long-term investments, managing household budgets, tracking clinical fitness targets, analyzing academic genetics, calculating veterinary dosages, or converting dimensional units, every calculation updates dynamically in real time without lag.
Every formula used in this tool adheres to certified international standards, including World Health Organization biometric metrics, veterinary clinical guidelines, NIST physical conversion constants, and standard biological equations. Results are computed entirely client-side inside your browser with complete data privacy, ensuring your sensitive numbers and statistics never leave your device.
Our calculators are 100% free with no registration, subscriptions, or paywalls required. You can toggle between imperial and metric units, customize input parameters, export calculation summaries, or embed this calculator directly into your own website or blog.
How to Use the Roth IRA Calculator
- 1 Enter your existing Roth IRA starting balance ($B_0) and regular annual contribution amount ($C).
- 2 Select whether to maximize contributions to automatically enforce IRS statutory annual caps ($7k under 50, $8k for age 50+).
- 3 Input your expected annual nominal rate of return (%) and marginal income/capital gains tax rate (%).
- 4 Specify your current age and planned retirement age to set your multi-decade compounding timeline.
- 5 Click "Calculate" to view the side-by-side comparison table, dynamic advantage summary, multi-line growth graph, and complete year-by-year annual schedule.
Roth IRA Calculator — Frequently Asked Questions
Q1 What is a Roth IRA and how does it differ from a Traditional IRA? ▾
A Roth IRA is funded with post-tax earnings, meaning you pay income taxes upfront, but all investment growth, dividends, and retirement withdrawals are 100% tax-free. In contrast, a Traditional IRA provides an upfront tax deduction, but withdrawals in retirement are taxed as ordinary income.
Q2 What are the annual Roth IRA contribution limits? ▾
For 2024 through 2026, the statutory IRS contribution limit is $7,000 per year for individuals under age 50, and $8,000 per year for individuals age 50 and older (including the $1,000 catch-up contribution).
Q3 How does tax drag affect regular taxable brokerage accounts? ▾
In a regular taxable account, realized capital gains and annual dividend distributions are taxed each year at your marginal tax rate. This annual tax drag reduces the base balance available for compounding, resulting in significantly lower long-term wealth compared to a tax-free Roth IRA.
Q4 Can I withdraw my contributions from a Roth IRA before age 59½? ▾
Yes. Because Roth IRA contributions were made with after-tax money, you can withdraw your original contributions at any time and for any reason with zero taxes and zero early-withdrawal penalties. Earnings, however, must remain in the account until age 59½ and meet the 5-year holding rule.
Q5 Are there income limits for contributing directly to a Roth IRA? ▾
Yes, the IRS sets Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) phase-out limits for direct Roth IRA contributions. High earners who exceed these limits often utilize a "Backdoor Roth IRA" strategy by making non-deductible Traditional IRA contributions and converting them to a Roth IRA.
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