IRA Calculator

See what your retirement savings could be worth after tax in a Traditional, SIMPLE, SEP, or Roth IRA, or in taxable savings.

Updated

After-tax balance at age 67: up to $794,155

A traditional, SIMPLE, or SEP IRA leaves you $84,087 more after tax than a Roth IRA at age 67. A Roth IRA also leaves you $215,421 more than regular taxable savings.

At age 67Traditional, SIMPLE, or SEP IRARoth IRATaxable savings
Balance$934,300$710,068$494,647
After tax$794,155$710,068$494,647

Balance by year

$0$467K$934KTraditional (before tax): $25KTraditional (before tax): $33KTraditional (before tax): $42KTraditional (before tax): $52KTraditional (before tax): $62KTraditional (before tax): $72KTraditional (before tax): $84KTraditional (before tax): $96KTraditional (before tax): $110KTraditional (before tax): $124KTraditional (before tax): $139KTraditional (before tax): $155KTraditional (before tax): $173KTraditional (before tax): $191KTraditional (before tax): $211KTraditional (before tax): $232KTraditional (before tax): $255KTraditional (before tax): $279KTraditional (before tax): $305KTraditional (before tax): $333KTraditional (before tax): $363KTraditional (before tax): $395KTraditional (before tax): $429KTraditional (before tax): $466KTraditional (before tax): $505KTraditional (before tax): $547KTraditional (before tax): $592KTraditional (before tax): $639KTraditional (before tax): $691KTraditional (before tax): $746KTraditional (before tax): $804KTraditional (before tax): $867KTraditional (before tax): $934KTraditional (after tax): $21KTraditional (after tax): $28KTraditional (after tax): $36KTraditional (after tax): $44KTraditional (after tax): $52KTraditional (after tax): $62KTraditional (after tax): $71KTraditional (after tax): $82KTraditional (after tax): $93KTraditional (after tax): $105KTraditional (after tax): $118KTraditional (after tax): $132KTraditional (after tax): $147KTraditional (after tax): $162KTraditional (after tax): $179KTraditional (after tax): $197KTraditional (after tax): $217KTraditional (after tax): $238KTraditional (after tax): $260KTraditional (after tax): $283KTraditional (after tax): $309KTraditional (after tax): $336KTraditional (after tax): $365KTraditional (after tax): $396KTraditional (after tax): $429KTraditional (after tax): $465KTraditional (after tax): $503KTraditional (after tax): $544KTraditional (after tax): $587KTraditional (after tax): $634KTraditional (after tax): $684KTraditional (after tax): $737KTraditional (after tax): $794KRoth IRA: $19KRoth IRA: $25KRoth IRA: $32KRoth IRA: $39KRoth IRA: $47KRoth IRA: $55KRoth IRA: $64KRoth IRA: $73KRoth IRA: $83KRoth IRA: $94KRoth IRA: $106KRoth IRA: $118KRoth IRA: $131KRoth IRA: $145KRoth IRA: $160KRoth IRA: $177KRoth IRA: $194KRoth IRA: $212KRoth IRA: $232KRoth IRA: $253KRoth IRA: $276KRoth IRA: $300KRoth IRA: $326KRoth IRA: $354KRoth IRA: $384KRoth IRA: $416KRoth IRA: $450KRoth IRA: $486KRoth IRA: $525KRoth IRA: $567KRoth IRA: $611KRoth IRA: $659KRoth IRA: $710KTaxable savings: $19KTaxable savings: $25KTaxable savings: $31KTaxable savings: $38KTaxable savings: $45KTaxable savings: $52KTaxable savings: $60KTaxable savings: $68KTaxable savings: $76KTaxable savings: $85KTaxable savings: $95KTaxable savings: $105KTaxable savings: $115KTaxable savings: $127KTaxable savings: $138KTaxable savings: $151KTaxable savings: $163KTaxable savings: $177KTaxable savings: $191KTaxable savings: $207KTaxable savings: $223KTaxable savings: $239KTaxable savings: $257KTaxable savings: $276KTaxable savings: $295KTaxable savings: $316KTaxable savings: $338KTaxable savings: $361KTaxable savings: $385KTaxable savings: $410KTaxable savings: $437KTaxable savings: $465KTaxable savings: $495KTotal contributions: $25KTotal contributions: $32KTotal contributions: $38KTotal contributions: $45KTotal contributions: $51KTotal contributions: $58KTotal contributions: $64KTotal contributions: $71KTotal contributions: $77KTotal contributions: $84KTotal contributions: $90KTotal contributions: $97KTotal contributions: $103KTotal contributions: $110KTotal contributions: $116KTotal contributions: $123KTotal contributions: $129KTotal contributions: $136KTotal contributions: $142KTotal contributions: $149KTotal contributions: $155KTotal contributions: $162KTotal contributions: $168KTotal contributions: $175KTotal contributions: $181KTotal contributions: $188KTotal contributions: $194KTotal contributions: $201KTotal contributions: $207KTotal contributions: $214KTotal contributions: $220KTotal contributions: $227KTotal contributions: $233KAge 35Age 67
  • Traditional (before tax)
  • Traditional (after tax)
  • Roth IRA
  • Taxable savings
  • Total contributions

Year-by-year schedule

AgeTraditional (before tax)Traditional (after tax)Roth IRA (after tax)Taxable savings (after tax)
StartEndStartEndStartEndStartEnd
35$25,000$33,250$21,250$28,263$19,000$25,270$19,000$24,951
36$33,250$42,078$28,263$35,766$25,270$31,979$24,951$31,218
37$42,078$51,523$35,766$43,794$31,979$39,157$31,218$37,819
38$51,523$61,630$43,794$52,385$39,157$46,838$37,819$44,771
39$61,630$72,444$52,385$61,577$46,838$55,057$44,771$52,093
40$72,444$84,015$61,577$71,412$55,057$63,851$52,093$59,804
41$84,015$96,396$71,412$81,936$63,851$73,261$59,804$67,926
42$96,396$109,643$81,936$93,197$73,261$83,329$67,926$76,479
43$109,643$123,818$93,197$105,246$83,329$94,102$76,479$85,488
44$123,818$138,986$105,246$118,138$94,102$105,629$85,488$94,976
45$138,986$155,215$118,138$131,932$105,629$117,963$94,976$104,969
46$155,215$172,580$131,932$146,693$117,963$131,161$104,969$115,493
47$172,580$191,160$146,693$162,486$131,161$145,282$115,493$126,577
48$191,160$211,042$162,486$179,385$145,282$160,392$126,577$138,251
49$211,042$232,314$179,385$197,467$160,392$176,559$138,251$150,546
50$232,314$255,076$197,467$216,815$176,559$193,858$150,546$163,495
51$255,076$279,432$216,815$237,517$193,858$212,368$163,495$177,133
52$279,432$305,492$237,517$259,668$212,368$232,174$177,133$191,497
53$305,492$333,376$259,668$283,370$232,174$253,366$191,497$206,624
54$333,376$363,213$283,370$308,731$253,366$276,042$206,624$222,557
55$363,213$395,138$308,731$335,867$276,042$300,305$222,557$239,337
56$395,138$429,297$335,867$364,903$300,305$326,266$239,337$257,009
57$429,297$465,848$364,903$395,971$326,266$354,045$257,009$275,622
58$465,848$504,958$395,971$429,214$354,045$383,768$275,622$295,225
59$504,958$546,805$429,214$464,784$383,768$415,571$295,225$315,871
60$546,805$591,581$464,784$502,844$415,571$449,601$315,871$337,616
61$591,581$639,492$502,844$543,568$449,601$486,014$337,616$360,517
62$639,492$690,756$543,568$587,143$486,014$524,975$360,517$384,636
63$690,756$745,609$587,143$633,768$524,975$566,663$384,636$410,039
64$745,609$804,301$633,768$683,656$566,663$611,269$410,039$436,793
65$804,301$867,103$683,656$737,037$611,269$658,998$436,793$464,971
66$867,103$934,300$737,037$794,155$658,998$710,068$464,971$494,647

End balances include that year's contribution, made at the end of the year.

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How this IRA calculator works

This IRA calculator, also an IRA growth calculator and IRA retirement calculator, shows how much the same before-tax money could be worth at retirement in three places: a Traditional IRA, a Roth IRA, and a regular taxable savings account. It also works as a SEP IRA calculator or SIMPLE IRA calculator, because traditional SEP and SIMPLE IRAs are taxed the same way as a Traditional IRA (Roth SEP and Roth SIMPLE IRAs follow the Roth column). To compare them fairly, it reports what you would keep after tax.

Each year until retirement, the accounts are updated like this:

  • Traditional IRA, or traditional SIMPLE or SEP IRA: end balance = start balance × (1 + return) + contribution. Tax is paid once, at your retirement tax rate, when the money comes out.
  • Roth IRA: the balance and each contribution are first reduced by your current tax rate, then grow the same way. Qualified withdrawals are tax-free, so no more tax is due.
  • Taxable savings: the balance and contributions are also reduced by your current tax rate, and each year's growth is taxed at that rate too.

For example, $25,000 today plus $6,500 a year at a 7% return from age 35 to 67 grows to about $934,300 in a traditional IRA. With a 24% tax rate today and 15% in retirement, that is about $794,155 after tax, compared with about $710,068 in a Roth IRA and $494,647 in taxable savings.

Traditional IRA calculator results vs. Roth

The result mostly comes down to two tax rates. If your tax rate in retirement is lower than it is today, a traditional IRA usually leaves you with more, because you skip the higher rate now and pay the lower rate later. If your rate will be higher in retirement, a Roth IRA usually wins. When the two rates are equal, both end up the same. In this model, taxable savings never beat a Roth IRA, but they can beat a traditional IRA if your tax rate rises enough in retirement.

IRA contribution calculator limits for 2026

For 2026, the total you can contribute to all of your traditional and Roth IRAs is $7,500, or $8,600 if you are 50 or older, and never more than your taxable compensation for the year. SEP and SIMPLE IRAs follow their own limits, so this calculator doesn't cap the contribution you enter. Check that your amount is allowed for your account type.

What this IRA calculator leaves out

This is an estimate, not tax advice. It assumes a steady return and fully deductible traditional contributions, which depend on your income and whether you have a retirement plan at work. It also assumes you qualify to contribute to a Roth IRA, which has income limits, and it taxes all taxable growth at one rate. Roth withdrawals are treated as qualified, so income tax on the earnings of a nonqualified withdrawal (generally one before age 59½ or within five years of your first Roth contribution) isn't included. Early withdrawal penalties and required minimum distributions aren't included either.

Frequently asked questions

How much will my IRA be worth when I retire?

It depends on your balance, contributions, return, and years until retirement. Enter your numbers above to see the balance for each account type at your retirement age, along with a year-by-year schedule.

Is a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA better?

It depends mainly on whether you expect a lower or higher tax rate in retirement. Lower generally favors a traditional IRA, and higher generally favors a Roth IRA. Try both rates in the calculator to see how far apart they land for you.

Does an IRA earn compound interest?

An IRA is an account, not an investment, so what it earns depends on what you hold in it. Any returns stay in the account and can grow on top of earlier returns, which is the compounding this IRA compound interest calculator projects with a steady yearly return.

Why is the Roth IRA balance lower than the traditional balance?

The Roth column has already had tax taken out, so it starts from less money and, for qualified withdrawals, owes nothing later. Compare the "After tax" row, not the "Balance" row, to see which account really leaves you more.

What's changed
  • Launched comparing Traditional, SIMPLE, and SEP IRAs with Roth IRAs and taxable savings, with the 2026 IRA contribution limits ($7,500, or $8,600 for ages 50+) noted for reference.

References