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Roth IRA Calculator 2026

Project your tax-free retirement balance with the 2026 contribution limits, growth rate, and catch-up contributions. See how starting age dramatically changes your outcome — and whether a backdoor Roth applies to you.

$7,500

2026 limit (under 50)

$8,600

2026 limit (age 50+)

0%

Tax on qualified withdrawals

~$1.5M

$7,500/yr, age 25→65 at 7%

Quick start:
Roth IRA Inputs2026 Limits
$

2026 limit: $7,500 (under 50) · $8,600 (50+)

$
%

Balance at retirement (100% tax-free)

$708,456

Retiring at age 65 · 30 years of contributions

$225,000

Total contributed

$483,456

Tax-free growth

3.1×

Growth multiple

Contributions (32%)Tax-free growth (68%)

Of your $708,456 balance, 68% is tax-free compounding — money you never paid tax on. Every $1 contributed became 3.1 at retirement.

Balance milestones by age
AgeContributedBalance (tax-free)
40$37,500$43,131
45$75,000$103,623
50$112,500$188,468
55$150,000$307,466
60$187,500$474,368
65retire$225,000$708,456

Roth IRA Guide 2026

Contribution limits, income phase-outs, growth by starting age, and Roth vs Traditional

2026 Roth IRA Limits, Phase-Outs & Contribution History
Every limit increase since 2021 — and the 2026 income thresholds that determine whether you can contribute directly

Contribution Limits by Year

YearUnder 50Catch-UpTotal 50+
2021$6,000+$1,000$7,000
2022$6,000+$1,000$7,000
2023$6,500+$1,000$7,500
2024$7,000+$1,000$8,000
2025$7,000+$1,000$8,000
2026 ✦$7,500+$1,100$8,600

Income Phase-Out Thresholds (MAGI)

YearSingle / HoHMarried Joint
2024$146K – $161K$230K – $240K
2025$150K – $165K$236K – $246K
2026 ✦$153K – $168K$242K – $252K

Above the phase-out? Use backdoor Roth

Contribute to a non-deductible Traditional IRA (no income limit), then convert to Roth. You pay tax only on any earnings between contribution and conversion — usually minimal if converted promptly. Watch the pro-rata rule if you hold other pre-tax IRA assets.

Married filing separately

MFS filers who lived with their spouse at any point in the year: phase-out is $0–$10,000 — essentially no direct Roth contribution is allowed. Backdoor Roth is the workaround.

Sources: IRS Publication 590-A (Contributions to IRAs); IRS Rev. Proc. 2025 (2026 inflation adjustments); IRS COLA Announcement 2025.

Roth IRA Growth by Starting Age: What $7,500/Year Becomes
Tax-free projected balance at retirement (age 65) — contributing max $7,500/yr, all figures tax-free

The single biggest driver of Roth IRA wealth is time in the market. Starting 5 years earlier can add hundreds of thousands to your tax-free balance. The table below shows projections for the 2026 max contribution of $7,500/year at three return assumptions, retiring at 65.

Start AgeYearsAt 5%/yrAt 7%/yrAt 10%/yr
Age 2540 yrs$906K$1,497K$3,320K
Age 3035 yrs$677K$1,037K$2,033K
Age 3530 yrs$498K$709K$1,234K
Age 4025 yrs$358K$474K$738K
Age 4520 yrs$248K$308K$430K
Age 50 (50+)15 yrs$181K$209K$272K
All figures are tax-free at retirement. Assumptions: $7,500/yr contribution (2026 max, under 50), compounded annually, retiring at age 65. 50+ contributions not modeled. Does not account for contribution limit changes over time.

The cost of waiting 5 years

Starting at 25 vs 30 at 7%: $1,497K vs $1,037K — a $460,000 difference from just 5 extra years. Every year you delay costs roughly 2× what you would have invested (due to compounding losses).

What return rate to use?

7%: Real (inflation-adjusted) S&P 500 historical average. 5%: Conservative blend (60/40 stocks/bonds). 10%: Nominal S&P 500 historical average. For a 30+ year horizon, most advisors suggest 6–8% real return assumptions.

Why the tax-free label matters

A Traditional IRA growing to $1.5M at 24% bracket owes $360,000 in tax at withdrawal. The Roth equivalent keeps the full $1.5M. The tax-free nature of Roth earnings is the core of its value for long-term savers.

Return assumptions: S&P 500 historical nominal ~10%, real ~7% (Damodaran NYU Stern, 2024 update); 60/40 portfolio ~5–6% real. Past returns don't guarantee future results.

Roth vs Traditional vs Backdoor Roth: Which Strategy Is Right for You?
A practical decision framework based on your current income, tax bracket, and expected retirement tax rate

Roth IRA

Best for: lower/mid income now, expect higher bracket later

Advantages

  • Contributions grow & withdraw tax-free
  • No RMDs during your lifetime
  • Contributions (not earnings) withdrawable anytime
  • Great for estate planning — heirs get tax-free growth

Watch out for

  • No upfront tax deduction
  • Income phase-out limits direct contributions
  • After-tax dollars mean less buying power now

Traditional IRA

Best for: high earners now, expect lower bracket in retirement

Advantages

  • Deductible contributions reduce taxable income now
  • Tax deferral on growth until withdrawal
  • No income limit to contribute (deductibility has limits)
  • Immediate tax savings put more money to work

Watch out for

  • Withdrawals taxed as ordinary income
  • RMDs required starting at age 73
  • Less flexibility — penalties for early withdrawal of earnings

Backdoor Roth

Best for: income over phase-out ($168K single / $252K MFJ)

Advantages

  • No direct income limit on conversions
  • Same tax-free growth as regular Roth
  • Effectively circumvents Roth income limits legally
  • High earners' path to tax-free retirement income

Watch out for

  • Pro-rata rule: taxable if you hold pre-tax IRA money
  • Must track non-deductible IRA basis (Form 8606)
  • Two-step process each year; consult a tax professional

The tax diversification argument

Many financial advisors recommend holding both Roth and Traditional assets in retirement. This gives you flexibility: you can draw from tax-free Roth accounts in years when you need to stay below a tax bracket threshold (e.g., to avoid higher Medicare premiums or trigger less Social Security taxation). Roth accounts also avoid RMD-forced income that can push you into higher brackets at age 73+.

The practical playbook for most people: (1) get the full 401k employer match, (2) max your Roth IRA ($7,500), (3) go back and contribute more to your 401k or HSA up to the limits.

Sources: IRS Publication 590-A (Contributions to IRAs); IRS Publication 590-B (Distributions from IRAs); IRS Form 8606 instructions (Nondeductible IRAs); SECURE 2.0 Act (RMD age 73).

What is a Roth IRA?

A Roth IRA is a retirement account funded with after-tax dollars. Money grows tax-free, and qualified withdrawals in retirement are completely tax-free. Unlike a Traditional IRA, there are no Required Minimum Distributions during your lifetime — letting the account grow indefinitely or pass to heirs.

Withdrawal rules: contributions vs earnings

Contributions can be withdrawn anytime, tax- and penalty-free — no age or 5-year requirement. Earnings are tax- and penalty-free only after you're 59½ and the account has been open at least 5 years. Early earnings withdrawals face income tax + 10% penalty (exceptions: first home purchase up to $10K, disability, death).

Roth IRA + 401k: the optimal contribution order

Roth IRA and 401k contribution limits are completely separate. You can max both in 2026: 401k at $24,500 ($32,500 if 50+) and Roth IRA at $7,500 ($8,600 if 50+). The generally recommended order: (1) contribute enough to your 401k to get your full employer match (free money), (2) max out your Roth IRA for tax-free growth, (3) return to your 401k to fill remaining space, (4) consider an HSA if eligible ($4,300 single / $8,550 family in 2026) as a triple-tax-advantaged option.

How we calculate your Roth IRA projection
Formulas behind the retirement balance, contributions, and growth shown in the calculator above. Last reviewed 2026-06-25.

The balance at retirement, total contributions, and growth shown above come from your annual contribution, current age, retirement age, expected return, and optional starting balance — calculated instantly in your browser, not from a brokerage feed. We cap contributions at the 2026 IRS limit ($7,500 under 50, +$1,100 catch-up if 50+), then compound annually until your retirement age. Below are the exact formulas, order of operations, and worked examples you can verify against the calculator.

Core formulas

MetricFormula
Years contributingmax(0, retirement age − current age)
Max allowable contribution$7,500 + ($1,100 catch-up if age 50+)
Effective annual contributionmin(entered amount, max allowable)
Balance each yearBalance × (1 + return %) + annual contribution
Total contributionsEffective contribution × years contributing
Total growthBalance at retirement − total contributions
Over-limit flagEntered contribution > max allowable

Order of operations

1

Apply 2026 contribution limits

Effective = min(annual contribution, $7,500 + catch-up)

IRS limits for 2026: $7,500 under age 50, plus $1,100 catch-up ($8,600 total) if you are 50 or older. Amounts above the limit are flagged but not used in the projection.

2

Calculate savings horizon

Years = retirement age − current age

If retirement age is at or below current age, no future contributions are projected.

3

Compound annually

Each year: balance = balance × (1 + r) + contribution

Starting balance (if any) compounds first, then the annual contribution is added at the end of each year. Returns compound once per year at your selected rate.

4

Sum contributions and growth

Total contributions = contribution × years; Growth = ending balance − contributions

Total contributions counts only new annual deposits — not your starting balance. Total growth is the difference between your ending balance and those future contributions (it includes growth on both starting balance and contributions).

IRS contribution limits

YearUnder 50Catch-up (50+)Max (50+)
2026$7,500$1,100$8,600
2025$7,000$1,000$8,000

Worked example 1 — Calculator defaults — age 35 to 65, $7,500/yr @ 7%

Verify: $7,500/yr × 30 yrs @ 7% → $708,456 ($483,456 growth)

FieldValue
Annual contribution (entered)$7,500
Max allowable (2026)$7,500
Effective contribution$7,500
Current age35
Retirement age65
Years contributing30
Annual return7%
Starting balance$0
Total contributions$225,000
Total growth$483,456
Balance at retirement$708,456
Over limit?No

Worked example 2 — Catch-up preset — age 52 to 67, $8,600/yr @ 6%, $50K balance

Verify: $50,000 start + $8,600/yr × 15 yrs @ 6% → $320,001

FieldValue
Annual contribution (entered)$8,600
Max allowable (50+)$8,600
Effective contribution$8,600
Current age52
Retirement age67
Years contributing15
Annual return6%
Starting balance$50,000
Total contributions$129,000
Total growth$191,001
Balance at retirement$320,001

Constants used

ItemValue
2026 limit (under 50)$7,500
2026 catch-up (50+)$1,100
2026 max (50+)$8,600
Default contribution$7,500
Default current age35
Default retirement age65
Default return rate7%
Compounding frequencyAnnual
What this calculator does not includeThis calculator does not model MAGI income phase-outs, backdoor Roth conversions, spousal IRA rules, employer plan coordination, or whether you are eligible to contribute at all. It does not apply early-withdrawal penalties, five-year seasoning rules, or required minimum distributions (Roth IRAs have no RMDs for the original owner during their lifetime). Tax savings from contributing are not shown — Roth contributions are after-tax. Investment returns are assumed constant; actual market returns vary year to year. Consult a tax advisor for contribution eligibility and withdrawal planning.
Roth IRA FAQ 2026
Contribution limits, income phase-outs, backdoor Roth, and withdrawal rules

$7,500 if you're under 50. $8,600 if you're 50 or older (includes a $1,100 catch-up contribution, up from $1,000 in prior years). Limits are indexed for inflation and set by the IRS each fall for the following year.

Yes — the limits are completely separate. You can max both: 401k at $24,500 ($32,500 if 50+) and Roth IRA at $7,500 ($8,600 if 50+). Many advisors recommend: first get your full 401k employer match, then max your Roth IRA, then go back and add more to the 401k.

For 2026 — Single: full contribution if MAGI below $153,000; phase-out $153,000–$168,000; no direct contribution above $168,000. Married filing jointly: full if MAGI below $242,000; phase-out $242,000–$252,000. Above the limit, use the backdoor Roth strategy.

If your income exceeds the direct Roth contribution phase-out, you can do a 'backdoor Roth': (1) contribute to a non-deductible Traditional IRA, (2) convert to Roth IRA. You pay tax only on any earnings between contribution and conversion (usually minimal if converted quickly). The pro-rata rule applies if you have other pre-tax IRA assets — consult a tax professional.

Contributions (not earnings) can be withdrawn anytime, tax- and penalty-free — no age requirement. Earnings are tax-free after you're 59½ AND the account has been open at least 5 years (the '5-year rule'). Exceptions for earnings before 59½: first-time home purchase (up to $10,000 lifetime), disability, death, or substantially equal periodic payments (SEPP/72(t)).

Roth: pay tax now on contributions, grow tax-free, withdraw tax-free in retirement. No RMDs during your lifetime. Better if you expect a higher tax bracket in retirement, you're young, or you want tax-free income in retirement. Traditional: deduct contributions now, pay tax on withdrawals. Better if you're in a high bracket now and expect lower taxes in retirement. Many investors hold both for tax diversification.

No — the original Roth IRA owner is never required to take RMDs during their lifetime. This is a major advantage over Traditional IRAs and 401ks (which require RMDs starting at age 73 under current law). Roth IRAs can grow untouched for decades and are excellent for estate planning.

Depends on contribution amount, starting age, return rate, and years invested. Example: $7,500/year from age 30 to 65 at 7% = approximately $1.04 million — all tax-free. From age 25 at 7%: ~$1.5M. At 10% from age 25: ~$3.3M. Use the calculator above to model your specific situation.

Yes — anyone with earned income (wages, self-employment income, freelance) under the phase-out threshold can contribute. Self-employed individuals can also open a SEP IRA or Solo 401k (with a Roth option) in addition to a Roth IRA for much higher total contribution limits.

There are two 5-year rules: (1) For tax-free earnings: you must have had a Roth IRA open for at least 5 tax years AND be 59½ or older. The clock starts January 1 of the year of your first Roth contribution. (2) For converted amounts: each Roth conversion has its own 5-year window before the converted funds can be withdrawn penalty-free if you're under 59½.

Plan Your Full Retirement Picture

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