IRA Calculator

About the IRA Calculator

An IRA calculator compares the after-tax retirement value of a Traditional IRA versus a Roth IRA based on your specific tax rates, income, and investment horizon — helping you make one of the most consequential decisions in personal retirement planning. Both Traditional and Roth IRAs offer significant tax advantages, but they work in opposite directions: Traditional IRAs provide a tax deduction now in exchange for paying ordinary income tax on all withdrawals in retirement. Roth IRAs offer no immediate deduction but all qualified withdrawals — including decades of investment gains — are completely tax-free. The right choice depends on whether your tax rate is higher now or in retirement, which neither you nor any financial advisor can know with certainty. Our free IRA calculator models both scenarios side by side, using your current marginal tax rate and your expected retirement tax rate, to calculate which account type would leave you with more spendable money in retirement. It also shows the 2025 contribution limits, deductibility rules for Traditional IRAs, and provides a recommendation based on your inputs.

How It Works

The Traditional IRA model invests the full contribution pre-tax (tax deduction now), grows tax-deferred, then applies your retirement tax rate to the final balance. The Roth model invests post-tax dollars (no deduction), grows tax-free, and produces a tax-free withdrawal. Because Traditional contributions are pre-tax, you invest a larger effective amount — but you pay taxes on everything at the end. Traditional annual contribution: your stated amount. Roth annual contribution: your stated amount x (1 - current tax rate) — because you already paid tax on those dollars. Example: $7,000 contribution, 24% current rate, 20% retirement rate, 7% return, 30-year horizon. Traditional: invests $7,000/year, grows to $661,000, after 20% tax = $529,000 spendable. Roth: invests $5,320/year (after-tax), grows to $503,000, fully tax-free. Traditional wins by $26,000 because the lower retirement rate justifies the deferral. Flip the tax rates (expect higher in retirement) and Roth wins. The calculator makes this comparison precise for your situation.

Tips & Best Practices

• ✓Traditional IRA deductibility phases out in 2025 for single filers with 401(k) access earning $79,000 to $89,000 and married filers earning $126,000 to $146,000. Above these thresholds, your Traditional contribution is non-deductible — making Roth almost always superior.
• ✓If you are uncertain about future tax rates — which is always — splitting contributions between Traditional and Roth provides tax diversification: you will have both pre-tax and after-tax money to draw from in retirement, allowing tax-bracket management.
• ✓RMD differences matter significantly: Traditional IRAs require minimum distributions starting at age 73, forcing taxable income in retirement. Roth IRAs have no RMDs during your lifetime, giving you full control over when and how much you withdraw.
• ✓Spousal IRA: if your spouse has little or no earned income, you can contribute to an IRA in their name based on your earned income — effectively doubling your household IRA contributions and investment tax advantages.
• ✓IRA vs 401(k) contribution limits are separate: you can contribute the full $7,000 to an IRA even if you already max out a 401(k). This additional tax-advantaged space is valuable — especially as Roth if you are within income limits.
• ✓For those over 50, the $1,000 catch-up contribution ($8,000 total) is meaningful: 15 years of $8,000 contributions at 7% adds over $200,000 to your retirement balance compared to contributing only $7,000 per year.
• ✓Converting a Traditional IRA to Roth in years with lower income can permanently shift future RMDs to tax-free Roth income. Pay the conversion tax now at a low rate to avoid potentially higher taxes on larger RMDs later.

Who Uses This Calculator

Workers deciding between Traditional and Roth IRA contributions. High earners assessing deductibility limits and Backdoor Roth eligibility. Couples coordinating retirement account strategy across both spouses. People in career transitions with temporarily lower income evaluating Roth conversions. Financial advisors building tax-efficient retirement income plans for clients.