Enter a few numbers to see a projected Roth IRA balance, whether that looks on track for the spending you want, and a short list of next moves. Limits follow the tax year you choose.
Ready when you are
Choose a path and enter a few numbers. No sample result is shown until you do.
Estimate, not a guarantee
Projected Roth IRA at retirement
—
About — in today’s dollars.
Your goal: —
Time available: —
Required contribution: —
You entered —/month. The applicable Roth room is about —/month, so this projection uses —/month.
- Projected balance
- —
- Total contributions
- —
- Investment growth
- —
- Years modelled
- —
Contribution, in practical amounts
- Weekly
- —
- Every two weeks
- —
- Monthly
- —
- Annual
- —
Return scenarios
| Scenario | Return | At retirement | Today’s dollars |
|---|
Your retirement goal
Your retirement spending goal: —/year
Estimated nest egg needed: —
Your projected Roth balance: —
Estimated gap: —
Your next move
Assumptions
How a Roth IRA works
A Roth IRA is a retirement account you fund with money you have already paid tax on. Qualified withdrawals of contributions and earnings are generally tax-free. This page estimates a future balance. It is not tax advice, and it does not open an account.
For official rules, useIRS: Roth IRAsandPublication 590-A.
Roth IRA contribution limits
The IRS sets an annual dollar cap that applies across your traditional and Roth IRAs combined. From age 50 you may also have a catch-up amount. You cannot contribute more than your taxable compensation for the year. This calculator uses the tax year you select rather than a frozen older table.
SeeIRA contribution limitson IRS.gov.
Roth IRA income eligibility
Direct Roth contributions phase out as modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) rises. The range depends on filing status. In the phase-out, a reduced amount may still be allowed. Above the cutoff, a direct contribution is generally not allowed. A backdoor Roth is a separate process this tool does not model.
How Roth IRA growth is calculated
The projection compounds the current balance and each year’s modelled contribution at the return you enter. Contributions are placed at the end of each week, two-week period, month, or year, then capped by IRS limits, MAGI, compensation, and other IRA contributions. Catch-up is applied in the years you are 50 or older. Returns are not guaranteed.
Roth IRA vs taxable investing
In a taxable brokerage account, interest, dividends, and realized gains can create a tax bill along the way. Qualified Roth withdrawals are generally tax-free. That difference can matter over decades, but it depends on your rates, the investments, and whether you meet Roth withdrawal rules. This calculator does not compute a tax return.
Inflation and retirement purchasing power
A large future balance buys less if prices rise. The “today’s dollars” figure divides the projected balance by compounded inflation so you can compare it with the spending amount you entered. The 4% nest-egg sketch is a planning heuristic, not a promise that a withdrawal rate will last.
Roth IRA contribution strategies
Useful moves are often simple: contribute early in the year if you can, raise the amount when income rises, use catch-up after 50, and stay inside the combined IRA limit. If MAGI is in the phase-out, confirm the reduced maximum with Publication 590-A. If you are over the cutoff, talk to a tax professional before assuming a workaround.
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How to use it
Enter the basics
Age, retirement age, current balance, contribution, income, and filing status are enough to start.
Set a spending target
Say how much you would like to spend each year in retirement. We sketch a nest egg with a 4% guideline.
Read the projection
You will see a future balance, today’s dollars, eligibility notes, and three return paths. None of it is guaranteed.
Try a next move
Use the slider and the what-if rows to see a higher contribution, a later start, maxing the Roth, or an earlier retirement.
Questions
How does a Roth IRA calculator estimate my balance?
It compounds your current balance and each year’s modelled contribution at the annual return you enter, then shows an inflation-adjusted figure. Markets can do better or worse than the assumption.
What is the Roth IRA contribution limit?
The IRS sets an annual cap that applies to traditional and Roth IRAs together, plus a catch-up amount from age 50. Choose a tax year in this tool so the table matches that year. Confirm the current figures on IRS.gov.
Can I contribute to a Roth IRA if my income is high?
Direct contributions phase out as MAGI rises and stop at the cutoff for your filing status. This calculator flags the phase-out and the ineligible range. It does not model a backdoor Roth.
Does this include catch-up contributions after age 50?
Yes. In each modelled year, if your age is 50 or older, the catch-up for that tax year’s table is added to the regular limit before MAGI and compensation caps.
Are Roth IRA returns guaranteed?
No. The conservative, expected, and optimistic paths are illustrations. Real results depend on markets, fees, and whether you actually contribute the amounts modelled.
How is the retirement spending target calculated?
The tool treats the nest-egg target as annual spending divided by 4%. That is a common planning shortcut, not a guarantee that a 4% withdrawal will last.
Is this tax advice?
No. Piltoe estimates a balance and shows IRS-linked eligibility notes. For your tax return, use IRS Publication 590-A or a qualified professional.
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