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IRA Calculator

Compare Traditional, SIMPLE, or SEP IRA growth with a Roth IRA and taxable savings, using before-tax contributions and current vs retirement tax rates.

ExampleSample values — edit any field to see your result.

$

Before-tax balance in a Traditional, SIMPLE, or SEP IRA. Roth and taxable columns convert this at your current marginal tax rate.

$

Pretax amount you plan to add each year. 2026 IRS traditional/Roth limit is $7,500 under 50 or $8,600 at 50+; SEP and SIMPLE caps are higher. This field is not capped.

%
years
years
%

Tax on extra income today, including combined federal and state/local rates if applicable. Used to convert Roth and taxable deposits to after-tax dollars.

%

Expected combined income-tax rate on Traditional / SIMPLE / SEP withdrawals in retirement. Roth withdrawals are tax-free.

Results update as you type.

Traditional IRA after tax

$906,392

Estimated result

A Traditional, SIMPLE, or SEP IRA account can accumulate $106,634 more after-tax balance than a Roth IRA account at age 65. A Roth IRA account can accumulate $236,324 more than a regular taxable savings account.

Traditional IRA before tax
$1,066,343
Roth IRA (after tax)
$799,758
Taxable savings (after tax)
$563,434
Traditional vs Roth (after tax)
$106,634
Roth vs taxable
$236,324

After-tax composition

Taxable savings 62%, Roth advantage 26%, Traditional advantage 12%
  • Taxable savings62%
  • Roth advantage26%
  • Traditional advantage12%

Traditional vs Roth vs taxable

Traditional, SIMPLE, or SEP IRARoth IRARegular taxable savings
Balance at age 65$1,066,343.00$799,758.00$563,434.00
Balance at age 65 (after tax)$906,392.00$799,758.00$563,434.00

Annual schedule

AgeTraditional startTraditional endTraditional after-tax startTraditional after-tax endRoth startRoth endTaxable startTaxable end
30$30,000.00$39,300.00$25,500.00$33,405.00$22,500.00$29,475.00$22,500.00$29,138.00
31$39,300.00$49,158.00$33,405.00$41,784.00$29,475.00$36,869.00$29,138.00$36,074.00
32$49,158.00$59,607.00$41,784.00$50,666.00$36,869.00$44,706.00$36,074.00$43,322.00
33$59,607.00$70,684.00$50,666.00$60,081.00$44,706.00$53,013.00$43,322.00$50,896.00
34$70,684.00$82,425.00$60,081.00$70,061.00$53,013.00$61,819.00$50,896.00$58,812.00
35$82,425.00$94,870.00$70,061.00$80,640.00$61,819.00$71,153.00$58,812.00$67,083.00
36$94,870.00$108,063.00$80,640.00$91,853.00$71,153.00$81,047.00$67,083.00$75,727.00
37$108,063.00$122,046.00$91,853.00$103,739.00$81,047.00$91,535.00$75,727.00$84,760.00
38$122,046.00$136,869.00$103,739.00$116,339.00$91,535.00$102,652.00$84,760.00$94,199.00
39$136,869.00$152,581.00$116,339.00$129,694.00$102,652.00$114,436.00$94,199.00$104,063.00
40$152,581.00$169,236.00$129,694.00$143,851.00$114,436.00$126,927.00$104,063.00$114,371.00
41$169,236.00$186,890.00$143,851.00$158,857.00$126,927.00$140,168.00$114,371.00$125,143.00
42$186,890.00$205,604.00$158,857.00$174,763.00$140,168.00$154,203.00$125,143.00$136,399.00
43$205,604.00$225,440.00$174,763.00$191,624.00$154,203.00$169,080.00$136,399.00$148,162.00
44$225,440.00$246,467.00$191,624.00$209,497.00$169,080.00$184,850.00$148,162.00$160,454.00
45$246,467.00$268,755.00$209,497.00$228,441.00$184,850.00$201,566.00$160,454.00$173,300.00
46$268,755.00$292,380.00$228,441.00$248,523.00$201,566.00$219,285.00$173,300.00$186,723.00
47$292,380.00$317,423.00$248,523.00$269,809.00$219,285.00$238,067.00$186,723.00$200,751.00
48$317,423.00$343,968.00$269,809.00$292,373.00$238,067.00$257,976.00$200,751.00$215,409.00
49$343,968.00$372,106.00$292,373.00$316,290.00$257,976.00$279,079.00$215,409.00$230,728.00
50$372,106.00$401,932.00$316,290.00$341,643.00$279,079.00$301,449.00$230,728.00$246,736.00
51$401,932.00$433,548.00$341,643.00$368,516.00$301,449.00$325,161.00$246,736.00$263,464.00
52$433,548.00$467,061.00$368,516.00$397,002.00$325,161.00$350,296.00$263,464.00$280,945.00
53$467,061.00$502,585.00$397,002.00$427,197.00$350,296.00$376,939.00$280,945.00$299,212.00
54$502,585.00$540,240.00$427,197.00$459,204.00$376,939.00$405,180.00$299,212.00$318,302.00
55$540,240.00$580,154.00$459,204.00$493,131.00$405,180.00$435,116.00$318,302.00$338,250.00
56$580,154.00$622,464.00$493,131.00$529,094.00$435,116.00$466,848.00$338,250.00$359,096.00
57$622,464.00$667,311.00$529,094.00$567,215.00$466,848.00$500,484.00$359,096.00$380,881.00
58$667,311.00$714,850.00$567,215.00$607,623.00$500,484.00$536,138.00$380,881.00$403,645.00
59$714,850.00$765,241.00$607,623.00$650,455.00$536,138.00$573,931.00$403,645.00$427,434.00
60$765,241.00$818,656.00$650,455.00$695,857.00$573,931.00$613,992.00$427,434.00$452,294.00
61$818,656.00$875,275.00$695,857.00$743,984.00$613,992.00$656,456.00$452,294.00$478,272.00
62$875,275.00$935,291.00$743,984.00$794,998.00$656,456.00$701,469.00$478,272.00$505,419.00
63$935,291.00$998,909.00$794,998.00$849,073.00$701,469.00$749,182.00$505,419.00$533,788.00
64$998,909.00$1,066,343.00$849,073.00$906,392.00$749,182.00$799,758.00$533,788.00$563,434.00
Traditional IRA after tax$906,392

Compare a Traditional, SIMPLE, or SEP IRA with a Roth IRA and regular taxable savings. Enter a before-tax balance and contribution, your current tax rate, and the rate you expect in retirement. You get pretax and after-tax balances plus a year-by-year schedule.

Formula

Each age from current age through retirement age minus one. The contribution is added at year-end, so it earns no return until the next year. Roth and taxable deposits are the before-tax amounts converted at today's tax rate:

contribAfter     = contribution × (1 − current tax)
Traditional end  = Traditional start × (1 + r) + contribution
Roth end         = Roth start × (1 + r) + contribAfter
Taxable end      = Taxable start × (1 + r × (1 − current tax)) + contribAfter
Traditional AT   = Traditional × (1 − retirement tax)

Roth opening balance is current balance × (1 − current tax) (same as taxable). Displayed amounts are nearest whole dollars. Advantage figures are Traditional after-tax minus Roth, and Roth minus taxable.

If your retirement tax rate equals today's rate, Traditional after-tax matches the Roth. A lower rate in retirement favors Traditional; a higher rate favors Roth. For after-tax Roth inputs, use the Roth IRA calculator.

2026 IRA limits

Account2026 limit
Traditional / Roth, under 50$7,500
Traditional / Roth, age 50+$8,600
SEP IRALesser of 25% of compensation or $72,000
SIMPLE IRA, under 50$17,000
SIMPLE IRA catch-up (50+ / 60–63)$4,000 / $5,250

Examples

Defaults: $30,000 start, $7,500 a year, age 30 to 65

At 6%, 25% tax today and 15% in retirement, the Traditional IRA reaches $1,066,343 pretax ($906,392 after tax). The Roth reaches $799,758 and taxable savings $563,434. Traditional after-tax is $106,634 ahead of Roth; Roth is $236,324 ahead of taxable.

Start at $0 from age 40

$6,000 a year from 40 to 65 at 7%, with 22% tax today and 12% in retirement. Traditional pretax $379,494 ($333,955 after tax), Roth $296,005, taxable $238,064.

Same tax rate now and in retirement

The default start, contribution, ages, and 6% return, but 25% in retirement as well as today. Traditional after-tax equals Roth at $799,758; taxable savings are $563,434.

Frequently asked questions

How does this IRA calculator compare Traditional, Roth, and taxable savings?
Inputs are before-tax. Each year the Traditional / SIMPLE / SEP balance earns the full return, then that year's contribution is added (it earns no interest until the next year). Roth and taxable columns convert the same opening balance and contributions at your current marginal tax rate, so they start with after-tax dollars. Traditional after-tax is the pretax balance times (1 − retirement tax). Roth growth is tax-free; taxable growth uses r × (1 − current tax).
What is the IRA contribution limit for 2026?
Traditional and Roth IRAs share a $7,500 limit if you are under 50, or $8,600 at 50+ (including catch-up). You also need earned income at least as large as the contribution, and high MAGI can reduce deductibility (Traditional) or block a direct Roth contribution. SEP IRAs are the lesser of 25% of compensation or $72,000. SIMPLE IRAs allow $17,000 ($4,000 extra at 50+, $5,250 extra at 60–63). This calculator does not cap the annual contribution field.
Why does a Traditional IRA sometimes beat a Roth here?
Because contributions are entered before tax, a Traditional IRA invests the full pretax amount and is taxed later at your retirement rate. If that rate is lower than today's rate, Traditional after-tax usually wins. If you expect a higher rate in retirement, Roth after-tax usually wins. When the two rates are equal, Traditional after-tax equals Roth (the tax-equivalence result). Both beat a taxable account because IRA growth is not taxed each year.
Is this the same as the Roth IRA calculator?
No. The Roth IRA calculator takes after-tax contributions and compares a Roth with a taxable account only. This IRA calculator takes before-tax contributions and compares Traditional / SIMPLE / SEP, Roth, and taxable savings, using both a current tax rate and a retirement tax rate.
Do SEP and SIMPLE IRAs grow the same way as a Traditional IRA?
For tax treatment, yes — contributions are pretax (or employer deductions), growth is tax-deferred, and withdrawals are ordinary income. Contribution limits and employer-match rules differ. SIMPLE IRAs also have a 25% early-withdrawal penalty in the first two years. Use the annual contribution field to model the amount you actually expect to add.

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