Free roth ira calculator
See how much tax-free retirement money your after-tax Roth contributions grow to — and check the 2025 income limits — updated live, as you type.
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Estimates only, based on a constant real return and steady saving. Not financial advice.
Results are estimates. Consult a professional.
What a Roth IRA calculator projects — tax-free retirement money
A Roth IRA calculator projects how much tax-free money you will have in retirement from after-tax contributions. A Roth IRA is funded with money you have already paid income tax on, so it has one defining payoff: qualified withdrawals in retirement are completely tax-free — both your contributions and every dollar of growth. Enter your age, contribution, and expected return, and the projected balance updates live as you type. Because a qualified Roth withdrawal is untaxed, that projected balance is what you actually get to keep.
Two features set the Roth apart from a traditional IRA. First, there are no required minimum distributions during the original owner's lifetime — the money can keep growing tax-free as long as you live. Second, your right to contribute phases out above an income limit, so eligibility is the first thing to check.
2025 Roth IRA income (MAGI) phase-out limits
Unlike a traditional IRA, a Roth has an income ceiling. If your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) sits inside the phase-out band, your contribution limit shrinks; above the top of the band you cannot contribute directly at all. Check this before you project growth — there is no point modeling contributions you are not allowed to make.
| 2025 filing status | Full contribution below | Phase-out range | No contribution at/above |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single / head of household | $150,000 | $150,000 – $165,000 | $165,000 |
| Married filing jointly | $236,000 | $236,000 – $246,000 | $246,000 |
| Married filing separately (lived with spouse) | $0 | $0 – $10,000 | $10,000 |
2025 Roth IRA contribution eligibility by modified AGI. Source: IRS. Inside the range, the $7,000/$8,000 limit is reduced proportionally.
IRS — Roth IRAs: 2025 MAGI phase-out ($150,000–$165,000 single; $236,000–$246,000 married filing jointly).How the Roth IRA calculator projects tax-free growth
The projector compounds your balance month by month — growing the running balance by one month of return and then adding your after-tax contribution. Because Roth contributions are already taxed and qualified withdrawals are tax-free, no tax is subtracted at the end: the projected balance is the spendable, tax-free amount.
A worked example: 35 years of tax-free Roth growth
Marcus opens a Roth IRA at 30 with $0 in it and contributes the full $583 a month (the 2025 $7,000 cap) until he retires at 65, assuming a 7% return. Because it is a Roth, every dollar of the result is tax-free.
Step 1 — Set the horizon
From 30 to 65 is 35 years — 420 monthly compounding steps at a 0.583% monthly rate (7% ÷ 12).
Step 2 — Compound the after-tax contributions
Marcus contributes $244,860 of his own after-tax money over the 35 years. Each contribution then grows untaxed inside the Roth.
Step 3 — Read the tax-free result
No required minimum distributions while you live
Traditional IRAs force you to start withdrawing — and paying tax — at age 73, whether you need the money or not. A Roth IRA has no required minimum distributions during the original owner's lifetime. You can leave the whole balance compounding tax-free for as long as you live, which makes the Roth a powerful tool for late-life flexibility and for leaving money to heirs.
IRS — RMD FAQs: Roth IRAs are not subject to RMDs while the account owner is alive.Who benefits most from a Roth IRA
- Younger and early-career savers in a lower tax bracket now than they expect later — they lock in today's low rate and let decades of growth come out tax-free.
- Anyone expecting higher future tax rates, whether from rising income or rising tax law, since the Roth pays tax now at a known rate.
- Savers who want to skip RMDs and keep money compounding into their 70s and 80s.
- People planning to leave tax-free money to heirs, who inherit the account without an income-tax bill on qualified distributions.
Not sure whether the Roth or a deductible traditional IRA wins for you? Compare them directly with the Roth vs. Traditional IRA calculator, or read the Traditional IRA page for the deduction side of the trade.
Roth IRA mistakes and gotchas
- Contributing over the income limit. If your MAGI exceeds the phase-out, a direct Roth contribution is an excess contribution taxed 6% a year until removed.
- Breaking the 5-year rule. Earnings are only tax-free once the account has been open five years and you are 59½. Withdraw earnings early and you may owe tax plus a 10% penalty — though your own contributions can come out any time tax- and penalty-free.
- Assuming you get a deduction. Roth contributions are never tax-deductible. The tax break comes later, on the way out.
- Forgetting the combined cap. The $7,000/$8,000 limit covers your Roth and traditional IRAs together, not each one separately.
How this calculator works and accuracy
This Roth IRA calculator compounds your after-tax contributions monthly at the rate you enter from your current age to retirement and applies no withdrawal tax, because qualified Roth distributions are tax-free. It assumes a steady contribution and constant return; actual markets vary, so treat the result as a planning estimate, not a guarantee or financial advice. The 2025 contribution limit, the MAGI phase-out ranges, and the no-RMD rule cited here come from the IRS.
IRS — Roth IRAs (2025 MAGI phase-out ranges and Roth rules).IRS — Retirement topics: IRA contribution limits (2025 $7,000 / $8,000 catch-up).Frequently asked questions about the free roth ira calculator
About this Roth IRA calculator
This Roth IRA calculator projects how much tax-free money you will have in retirement from after-tax contributions, compounding your balance monthly at your expected return. Because qualified Roth withdrawals are tax-free, the projected balance is the amount you actually keep. It also flags the 2025 modified-AGI phase-out ranges that determine whether you can contribute directly at all.
It is a planning estimate, not financial advice — returns vary and eligibility depends on your income. Compare it with the rest of the retirement calculators, or browse every tool in the calculator directory.