Estimate growth from a starting IRA balance and annual contributions. Choose traditional or Roth for the accompanying eligibility note. The projection is a gross account balance and does not calculate a traditional IRA deduction or certify Roth contribution eligibility.
Editorial Policy · Methodology · Corrections Policy
Before you enter your numbers
Count annual contributions across your traditional and Roth IRAs together when checking the shared limit. Rollovers and transfers are different from new annual contributions. The amount you can contribute may also depend on eligible compensation and other circumstances.
- Current IRA balance
- Annual contribution
- Years invested
- Expected annual return
Input reference
- Current age: Your age at the start of the projection. This determines how long contributions can compound before the selected retirement date; it does not set legal access to a pension or retirement account.
- Current IRA balance: The current balance committed to this goal. Use a recent statement and exclude money reserved for unrelated goals. This starting value is already invested, so do not also enter it as a recurring contribution.
- Annual contribution: New employee or IRA saving each year, spread into monthly deposits in the model. This is distinct from the existing balance, rollovers and separately entered employer funding. Statutory caps may limit the modeled contribution.
- Years: The duration of the calculation in years. Longer periods give growth or withdrawals more time to operate. This is a chosen modeling horizon, not a prediction of an investment term or your lifetime.
- Annual return: An assumed nominal annual rate, divided by 12 in monthly projections. It is held constant. It is not a guaranteed yield, and the default should be replaced with an assumption suited to your scenario.
Formula and calculation method
The annual contribution is capped using the stored 2026 limit for the age entered, then invested in equal monthly installments. The model holds that contribution constant rather than forecasting future legal limits or automatically switching to a catch-up contribution at age 50.
Worked example
Beginning with 20,000 and adding 6,000 annually for 15 years gives 110,000 at zero return. This equals 20,000 plus 90,000 of new contributions. A positive return scenario adds modeled growth, while taxes on eventual withdrawals are assessed separately.
How to interpret the result
The result panel reports projected IRA balance, total contributions and estimated investment growth.
The 2026 IRA limit is 7,500 with an additional 1,100 catch-up at age 50 or older. A maximum contribution is not necessarily deductible; workplace coverage and income can affect deductibility, and Roth contributions have income rules. This page does not calculate phase-outs, excess-contribution corrections or withdrawal ordering.
Traditional and Roth IRA planning limits
The calculator caps annual contributions at the 2026 IRA contribution limit for the entered age. It can project either a Traditional or Roth IRA, but it does not assume that a Traditional contribution is deductible or that a Roth contribution is permitted at every income level.
Those tax questions depend on filing status, income and workplace-plan coverage. The projection therefore isolates the growth question: what could the account become if the contribution you enter is allowed and invested at the return assumption selected?
Avoid confusing contributions, conversions and rollovers
A contribution is new money added under annual eligibility rules. A rollover or conversion moves or changes the tax treatment of existing retirement money and can have different conditions. Treating a rollover as a recurring annual contribution would exaggerate the projection.
For an after-tax comparison, identify whether the starting balance includes nondeductible basis or other mixed tax sources. The calculator does not apply pro-rata taxation or conversion rules. Its gross balance cannot determine the tax consequences of an actual distribution or conversion.
Distinguish account growth from IRA eligibility and deductibility
The IRA calculator projects contributions and investment growth. It does not determine whether you are eligible for a deductible traditional IRA contribution or whether a Roth IRA contribution is allowed at your income level. Those rules can change by tax year and filing status.
For planning, first use the contribution amount you are actually permitted and able to make. Then compare several return assumptions. If taxes are central to the decision, evaluate Roth and traditional treatment separately rather than interpreting the projected account balance as an after-tax value.
Use The Result In The Next Calculation
Use the IRA projection as one component of the retirement balance. Compare it with workplace accounts and pension income in the main retirement calculator, and confirm current contribution and eligibility rules before treating the planned annual deposit as available.
Retirement planning guides · Calculation methodology
Rules and limits can change. Use these primary sources to verify time-sensitive details.
IRA Calculator FAQs
Why are traditional and Roth projections the same?+
The same balance, deposits and return produce the same gross growth. Their tax treatment differs, and that difference is not modeled as a cash-flow or after-tax comparison here.
Where can I check the assumptions behind this result?+
Check the formula and limitations sections on the IRA Calculator page for the assumptions specific to this tool. The methodology page explains conventions shared across calculators, and IRS: 2026 contribution limits is the reference for any time-sensitive statutory or product rule mentioned here.
What does the IRA Calculator result include?+
The result focuses on projected IRA balance, total contributions and estimated investment growth. It is calculated from the inputs shown on this page rather than from live account, market or government data. Read the formula and limitations section before transferring the result into another planning tool.
What should I change when testing another IRA Calculator scenario?+
Change one major assumption at a time so you can see what drives the result. Useful inputs to test include Current IRA balance, Annual contribution, Years invested, Expected annual return. Use a conservative case alongside your central estimate rather than relying on only the most favorable combination.
Can the IRA Calculator replace an official statement or professional advice?+
No. It is a planning calculator. IRA contribution eligibility and tax treatment depend on current rules and personal circumstances. This calculator focuses on growth, not individualized tax advice. Use official statements and current rules when an exact legal, tax, pension or account figure is required.
