How the Roth IRA calculator works
Enter your age, the age you plan to retire, any money already in a Roth IRA, how much you plan to contribute each year and an expected yearly return. The calculator adds each year's contribution at the start of the year and grows the balance at your return rate until retirement. It also checks your contribution against the 2026 IRS limit for your age, income and filing status, and caps it if it is too high.
Example: a 30-year-old who puts in $7,500 a year until 65 at a 7% return would have about $1,109,351, of which $262,500 is contributions and $846,851 is earnings. At a 6% return the balance is $885,906. Starting at 40 instead of 30 leaves $507,574, which shows how much the early years matter.
2026 Roth IRA contribution limits
For 2026 you can contribute up to $7,500 to your IRAs, up from $7,000 in 2025. If you are 50 or older by the end of the year, you can add a $1,100 catch-up contribution, for $8,600 in total. The limit is shared across all your traditional and Roth IRAs, and you cannot contribute more than your taxable compensation for the year (IRS IR-2025-111).
A 50-year-old who contributes the maximum $8,600 a year until 65 at 7% would build about $231,237. Tick Contribute the maximum allowed every year to model that.
Roth IRA income limits and the phase-out
Your allowed contribution shrinks once your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) passes a threshold. For 2026 the phase-out range is $153,000 to $168,000 for single filers and heads of household, and $242,000 to $252,000 for married couples filing jointly. Married people filing separately who lived with their spouse have a range of $0 to $10,000; if you filed separately and lived apart all year, use the single range. Above the range you cannot contribute directly.
Inside the range, the calculator follows the IRS worksheet in IRS Publication 590-A, Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements: it reduces the limit in proportion to how far your MAGI is into the range, rounds up to the next $10, and allows at least $200. A single filer under 50 with MAGI of $160,000 can contribute $4,000; a married couple filing jointly with MAGI of $247,000 and a 52-year-old contributor can put in $4,300 for that spouse.
Why a Roth IRA grows tax-free
You contribute money you have already paid income tax on, and in return qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free, including all the growth. A withdrawal is generally qualified once you are 59½ and at least five years have passed since your first Roth IRA contribution. You can take out your own contributions at any time without tax or penalty, and the original owner never has to take required minimum distributions. See the IRS's Roth IRAs page for the full rules.
To show what tax-free growth is worth, the calculator also runs the same contributions through a taxable account whose returns are taxed every year at the rate you enter. In the example above, the taxable account ends at $786,306, $323,045 less than the Roth IRA. That comparison is simplified: real taxable accounts often pay lower long-term capital gains rates and can defer tax on unsold gains.
Roth IRA or traditional IRA?
Both share the same $7,500 limit. A traditional IRA may give you a tax deduction now, with withdrawals taxed later; a Roth gives no deduction now but tax-free qualified withdrawals. The traditional IRA deduction is limited if you or your spouse have a workplace plan: for 2026 it phases out between $81,000 and $91,000 of MAGI for a single filer covered at work, and between $129,000 and $149,000 for a married couple filing jointly when the contributing spouse is covered (IRS IR-2025-111).
A Roth tends to suit people who expect a similar or higher tax rate in retirement, and younger savers with decades of growth ahead. A traditional IRA tends to suit people in a high bracket now who expect a lower one later. If your income is above the Roth limits, some people make a non-deductible traditional IRA contribution and convert it (often called a backdoor Roth); the tax rules are detailed, so check them or ask a tax professional before doing it.
Roth IRA or 401(k)?
Many people use both. A workplace 401(k) has a much higher limit ($24,500 in 2026) and often an employer match, which is usually the first money to capture. A Roth IRA adds tax-free growth and more investment choice on top. Our 401(k) calculator shows your balance with the employer match, and the US inflation calculator helps you think about what a future balance is worth in today's dollars. If you invest in India, the PPF calculator covers a comparable tax-free savings scheme.
Results are estimates, not investment advice. Returns are not guaranteed and markets go down as well as up; the calculator uses a steady average return to keep the projection simple.