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Roth IRA Calculator

Project a Roth IRA balance — contributions are after-tax, but withdrawals (including all growth) are tax-free in retirement. Especially valuable when expecting higher future tax rates.

Inputs

2024 limit: $7,000 (under 50), $8,000 (50+). Income limits apply.
Used to calculate the "real cost" of contributions.
Tax-free Roth balance
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Total contributed (post-tax)
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Tax-free growth
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Real cost (you contribute post-tax)
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Rough comparison vs taxable account
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About Roth IRA Calculator

Roth vs Traditional

Roth pays tax now, no tax in retirement. Traditional skips tax now, pays at withdrawal. Roth wins if you’ll be in a higher tax bracket later (or if tax rates rise generally). Traditional wins if your bracket will be lower.

Income limits (2024)

Phase-out starts at $146,000 for single filers, $230,000 for married filing jointly. Above $161k single / $240k MFJ, no direct Roth contributions — but a "backdoor Roth" via Traditional IRA conversion remains available.

No RMDs

Unlike Traditional IRAs and 401(k)s, Roth IRAs have no Required Minimum Distributions during the owner’s lifetime. Great for legacy planning — you can leave the entire balance to heirs tax-free.