🏺 Roth vs. Traditional IRA Calculator

Enter your contribution, time horizon, and current vs. retirement tax rates to see which IRA type leaves you wealthier after tax — with a year-by-year comparison chart.

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Inputs
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yr
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Results
Roth Advantage (after tax)
Traditional IRA at Retirement
Roth IRA at Retirement
Traditional: Tax on Withdrawal
Traditional: Net After Tax
Roth: Net After Tax
Years of Tax-Free Growth
Annual Tax Savings Now (Trad)
Break-Even Tax Rate
Both: FV = PMT × [(1+r)ⁿ − 1] / r (same balance at retirement)
Roth wins if Retirement Rate > Current Rate
Traditional wins if Retirement Rate < Current Rate

Roth and Traditional IRAs grow to the same balance at retirement — the only difference is when you pay taxes. Roth: pay now at current rate, withdraw tax-free. Traditional: defer now, pay at retirement rate. If you expect to be in a higher bracket in retirement (common for young earners), Roth wins. If you expect a lower bracket in retirement, Traditional wins. When uncertain, split between both.