Roth IRA Calculator
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What Your Result Means
- Total at Retirement: The projected balance in your Roth IRA on the day you retire, combining your existing balance and future contributions compounded at the assumed return rate.
- Total Contributions: The sum of your current balance plus every annual contribution you'll make between now and retirement — the money you actually put in.
- Tax-Free Growth: The difference between your ending balance and what you contributed. Because it's a Roth, this entire amount can generally be withdrawn tax-free in retirement.
- Monthly Retirement Income: A rough estimate of what you could draw each month if you spread the balance evenly over 25 years. Actual withdrawals depend on your strategy and market performance.
How This Calculator Works
You enter your current age, retirement age, annual contribution, existing Roth balance, and expected annual return. The tool compounds the existing balance to retirement, then separately compounds the annual contributions using the future-value-of-annuity formula. It adds both to get the total. The monthly income figure simply divides the total by 300 months (25 years) — it does not model variable withdrawal rates or required minimum distributions.
Quick Questions
What is the Roth IRA contribution limit?
For 2025, the limit is $7,000 per year ($8,000 if you're 50 or older). Income phase-outs for direct Roth contributions in 2025: $150,000–$165,000 for single filers, $236,000–$246,000 for married filing jointly. These limits are adjusted periodically for inflation — check the IRS website for the current year's cap.
Does the calculator account for contribution limit increases?
No. It assumes the same annual contribution every year. In practice, limits tend to rise over time, so your actual total may be higher if you max out each year.
What return rate should I use?
A common assumption for a diversified stock portfolio is 7% (roughly the long-term real return of the S&P 500). Use a lower rate for conservative allocations or to account for inflation-adjusted returns.
Is growth in a Roth really tax-free?
Yes, provided you're at least 59½ and the account has been open for at least five years. Qualified distributions — including all the growth — come out federal-income-tax-free. State tax treatment varies but generally follows federal rules.
Are there income limits for Roth IRA contributions?
Yes. High earners may be partially or fully phased out of direct Roth IRA contributions. A backdoor Roth conversion is a common workaround — see the Roth Conversion calculator for that analysis.
Sources
- IRS — Roth IRAs (contribution limits, income phase-outs, withdrawal rules)
- IRS — Roth IRA Contribution Limits (current-year dollar caps and MAGI thresholds)
- SEC / Investor.gov — Retirement Accounts (overview of IRA types and tax treatment)
Method & review
Estimate only. Results reflect your inputs and standard formulas. Double-check important decisions independently.