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Roth IRA calculator

See what yearly Roth IRA contributions could grow to by retirement.

  • Formula and assumptions shown
  • Table and CSV export
  • Runs in your browser

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Inputs

Amounts in US dollars: this calculator uses US rules.

Must be later than current age and no more than 50 years away.
2026 limit: $7,500.00, or $8,600.00 from age 50, shared across all your IRAs.
A nominal rate, divided by 12 and compounded monthly. Returns vary and are not guaranteed.

Results update as you type. Rates are your own assumptions.

Result

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Assumptions used

Calculated result—

Enter your numbers to see an estimate.

Notes and methodology

How it works

A Roth IRA is funded with money that has already been taxed. In exchange, qualified withdrawals of contributions and growth are free of federal income tax, so the projected balance is closer to spendable money than a traditional account balance.

Formula

At the start of the year: balance = (balance + contribution) × (1 + r)^12. Spread monthly: balance = balance × (1 + r) + contribution ÷ 12, twelve times a year. r = annual return ÷ 12; contribution = min(entered amount, IRA limit for your age) when the limit is applied.

The calculator adds a yearly contribution, either once at the start of each year or spread over the months, and compounds the balance at your assumed return until retirement. With the limit applied, each year's contribution is capped at the 2026 IRA limit of $7,500, or $8,600 from age 50.

The limit covers all of your traditional and Roth IRAs together, and Roth contributions phase out at higher incomes. The calculator lists the 2026 income ranges but does not check eligibility.

Read the full methodology

Assumptions

  • The 2026 IRA limit is held flat every year; the IRS adjusts it for inflation.
  • Income eligibility and the phase-out ranges are listed but not applied.
  • The return is a constant nominal assumption, compounded monthly. Returns vary and are not guaranteed.
  • Fees, state taxes and non-qualified withdrawals are excluded.

Worked example

Age 30 to 65, $10,000 balance, $7,500 a year at 7%

Contributing $7,500 at the start of every year grows the account to $1,283,856.97 by 65: $10,000 to start, $262,500 of contributions and $1,011,356.97 of growth. Spreading the same $7,500 across 12 monthly deposits instead gives $1,240,720.64, because each deposit is invested later.

Step by step

  1. Check the contribution against the limit. The $7,500 contribution equals the 2026 IRA limit for someone under 50, so no year is capped.
  2. Grow the first year. Contributing at the start of the year, $10,000 + $7,500 = $17,500 earns 7% ÷ 12 a month for 12 months: $17,500 × 1.072290 = $18,765.08 at the end of year 1.
  3. Repeat for every year to 65. Thirty-five contributions of $7,500 add $262,500 in total. Each is invested for the years left until 65, so the earliest ones grow the most.
  4. Split the final balance. At 65 the account holds $1,283,856.97: $10,000 to start, $262,500 of contributions and $1,011,356.97 of growth.

How to read your result

The headline is the projected balance at retirement. Because Roth contributions are made after tax, a qualified withdrawal pays out this amount without federal income tax under current rules, unlike a traditional 401(k) or IRA balance.

Below it are total contributions, growth and the starting balance; the table shows the contribution and balance for every year. If you enter more than the limit for your age, the result says how many years were capped.

Income limits are listed in the notes but not applied. Above the phase-out range, direct Roth IRA contributions are not allowed, so the projection only applies if you are eligible each year.

What changes the result most

Return
At 6% the account reaches $1,000,883.48 by 65; at 8% it reaches $1,659,484.75. The contributions are the same $262,500 in each case.
Starting age
Starting at 40 instead of 30 gives $582,950.69 at 65, less than half, even though contributions fall only from $262,500 to $187,500.
Contribution size and timing
Contributing $5,000 a year instead of $7,500 gives $894,258.49. Spreading the $7,500 across monthly deposits instead of one deposit in January gives $1,240,720.64.
The limit
At 45 with an $8,600 contribution, the five years before 50 are capped at $7,500, so contributions total $166,500 and the balance at 65 is $408,611.34.

Questions

How much can I put in a Roth IRA in 2026?

Up to $7,500, or $8,600 if you are 50 or older, across all your traditional and Roth IRAs combined, and never more than your taxable compensation for the year. The amount is reduced within the income phase-out range and is zero above it.

What are the 2026 Roth IRA income limits?

The contribution phases out with modified AGI between $153,000 and $168,000 for single and head-of-household filers, between $242,000 and $252,000 for married couples filing jointly, and between $0 and $10,000 for married filing separately if you lived with your spouse.

When are Roth IRA withdrawals tax-free?

A qualified distribution is tax-free: generally one made after age 59½ and at least five years after the first year you contributed to any Roth IRA, or in some other cases such as disability. Contributions themselves can be withdrawn at any time; earnings withdrawn early can be taxed and penalized.

Can I contribute to a Roth IRA and a 401(k) in the same year?

Yes. The 401(k) limit and the IRA limit are separate, so contributing to a workplace plan does not reduce the Roth IRA limit. Roth IRA eligibility still depends on your modified AGI.

More in Retirement

Sources

These references explain the concepts behind the calculation. They do not endorse this site. Estimates leave out any cost or condition you did not enter.