How to use the roth ira calculator
- Enter your current Roth IRA balance and the amount you plan to contribute each year.
- Enter the years of growth and an expected annual return. The return is an example you should replace with your own assumption.
- Choose when you contribute: evenly each month, all at the start of each year or all at the end. Timing changes the result because money invested earlier has longer to grow.
- Optional: open More options to raise the contribution each year, add inflation, mark that you are 50 or older, and enter your filing status and modified AGI to compare with the 2026 IRS limits.
Formula
Each month: balance = balance x (1 + return / 12)
Monthly timing: add one twelfth of the yearly contribution after each month of growth
Start-of-year timing: add the full yearly contribution before the first month of the year
End-of-year timing: add the full yearly contribution after the twelfth month
Today's dollars = balance / (1 + inflation)^years
With end-of-year deposits, the result equals B x g^n + C x (g^n - 1) / (g - 1), where g = (1 + return / 12)^12 is the effective yearly growth factor. Start-of-year deposits multiply the contribution part by g.
Worked examples
The default case: $10,000 today and $6,000 a year for 30 years at 6.5%, added evenly each month. The balance is $623,007.02. You contribute $180,000, so $433,007.02 is growth.
Timing: the same inputs with the full $6,000 deposited on the last day of each year give $606,722.42. Depositing on the first day of each year gives $642,673.21, about $36,000 more, purely because each deposit has an extra year of growth.
Raising contributions: starting from zero, contributing $5,000 in year 1 and increasing it 10% a year for 10 years at 7% gives $108,840.01, with $79,687.12 contributed. Inflation: the default case at 2.5% inflation is about $297,014.04 in today's dollars.
Contribution and income limits
The IRS announced a 2026 IRA contribution limit of $7,500, with an extra $1,100 for people 50 or older. The limit applies across all your traditional and Roth IRAs combined, and your contribution cannot exceed your taxable compensation for the year. Retrieved from the IRS announcement on October 10, 2026. The limit changes over time, so check the current figure.
Direct Roth IRA contributions are reduced as income rises. For 2026 the modified adjusted gross income phase-out range is $153,000 to $168,000 for single filers and heads of household, $242,000 to $252,000 for married couples filing jointly, and $0 to $10,000 for married people filing separately who lived with their spouse. If you enter your filing status and income, this tool tells you whether you are below, inside or above the range. It does not calculate the reduced amount. The worksheet in IRS Publication 590-A does that.
What this projection leaves out
Qualified withdrawals from a Roth IRA are generally tax-free, but the rules depend on how long the account has been open and your age. Early withdrawals of earnings can be taxed and penalized. This tool projects a balance only. It does not model withdrawals, conversions, taxes or penalties, so read the IRS guidance on Roth IRAs before you act.
Fees and fund expenses lower real-world returns and are not included. If your investments charge 0.5% a year, consider entering a return that is lower by that amount.
Why contribution timing matters
The three timing choices differ only in how long each dollar is invested. A year of growth on a $6,000 deposit at 6.5% is roughly $390, and that gap compounds for decades. Contributing early in the year is not always possible, and no one can know the best day to invest, so the monthly option is the default.
Assumptions and limits
- One constant annual return applied monthly (rate / 12). Real returns vary, can be negative and arrive in an unpredictable order.
- Contributions are exactly the amounts you enter. The tool does not reduce them to fit the IRS limit or your income.
- The income check compares your modified AGI with the 2026 range for your filing status and nothing else. It is not a determination of eligibility.
- Taxes, fees, withdrawals, conversions, early-withdrawal penalties and changes to the law are not modeled.
- The example return and inflation are illustrations to replace with your assumptions, not forecasts or market data.
- This is a projection, not tax, legal or investment advice.
Frequently asked questions
How much could a Roth IRA grow to?
With $10,000 to start, $6,000 a year, 30 years and a 6.5% example return, the projection is about $623,000. Your result depends on the return you assume, which can be very different in real life, so try several values.
What is the Roth IRA contribution limit?
For 2026 the IRS limit is $7,500, plus $1,100 if you are 50 or older, across all your IRAs. The calculator compares your yearly amount with it and shows a notice. The limit changes over time, so confirm the current year on IRS.gov.
Can I contribute to a Roth IRA if I earn a lot?
Direct contributions phase out as modified AGI rises. For 2026 the range is $153,000 to $168,000 for single filers and $242,000 to $252,000 for joint filers. Enter your status and income in More options to see where you fall.
Does it matter when in the year I contribute?
Yes. Money contributed on the first day of the year earns about a year more growth than money contributed on the last day. With the default inputs the gap over 30 years is roughly $36,000. Choose the timing that matches how you actually contribute.
Does this show what I can withdraw tax-free?
No. It projects a balance and leaves out withdrawal rules, taxes and penalties. Qualified Roth withdrawals are generally tax-free, but conditions apply, so check the IRS page on Roth IRAs.