IRA Calculator (2026): Traditional vs Roth After Tax

How the comparison is calculated

The method is equal contributions, with the tax saving shown separately. The same dollar amount goes into each account. This matches the law, because the $7,500 limit ($8,600 from age 50) is the same for both types, so you cannot put a bigger number into the traditional IRA to make up for the tax.

Grow both accounts. Same deposits and same return, so both reach the same balance. Each year's contribution goes in as twelve equal parts at the end of each month, and the yearly return is turned into a monthly rate that compounds to exactly the figure you enter.
Tax the traditional balance. Traditional withdrawals count as income. The calculator takes off tax at the retirement rate you enter.
Traditional after tax = balance × (1 − tax rate in retirement)
Leave the Roth balance alone. You already paid tax on that money, and qualified withdrawals are tax-free.
Follow the tax saving. A deductible traditional contribution cuts this year's tax bill.
Tax saved each year = contribution × tax rate now
If you choose "Invested each year", that saving is grown at the same return and added to the traditional side. If you choose "Spent", it is shown but not added.

Step 4 is what makes the comparison fair. A Roth contribution of $6,000 costs you $6,000. A deductible traditional contribution of $6,000 costs less, because part of it comes back as lower tax. Ignoring that money would make the Roth look better every time.

The result is an estimate built on three guesses: the return, your tax rate now and your tax rate in retirement. You can change all three. Investments can lose value, and the page does not tell you which account to open.

Worked examples

Each example contributes $6,000 a year and uses a 6% yearly return, which is an assumption and not a forecast.

Tax rate falls in retirement: 22% now, 12% later

Age 35, retiring at 65, and the yearly tax saving is invested.

Balance at 65, each account$487,256
Tax on the traditional balance at 12%−$58,471
Traditional IRA after tax$428,786
Tax saved over 30 years at 22%$39,600
Value of those savings if invested$107,196
Traditional IRA side in total$535,982
Roth IRA after tax$487,256
Traditional IRA ahead by$48,726

Tax rate rises in retirement: 12% now, 22% later

Age 28, early in a career, retiring at 65. The yearly tax saving is invested.

Balance at 65, each account$784,387
Tax on the traditional balance at 22%−$172,565
Traditional IRA after tax$611,822
Tax saved over 37 years at 12%$26,640
Value of those savings if invested$94,126
Traditional IRA side in total$705,948
Roth IRA after tax$784,387
Roth IRA ahead by$78,439

Same as the first example, but the tax saving is spent

Age 35, 22% now and 12% later. The deduction lowers the tax bill each year, and that money goes on everyday costs.

Balance at 65, each account$487,256
Tax on the traditional balance at 12%−$58,471
Traditional IRA after tax$428,786
Tax saved over 30 years at 22%$39,600
Value of those savings if investedspent, not invested
Traditional IRA side in total$428,786
Roth IRA after tax$487,256
Roth IRA ahead by$58,471

The first and third examples differ in one thing only. In this model the traditional IRA ends ahead of the Roth only when the tax saving is invested. If it is spent, you had the use of that money earlier, but it is not there at retirement.

Which is ahead by tax rate in retirement

Age 35 to 65, $6,000 a year, 6% yearly return, 22% tax rate now, tax saving invested each year. Assumptions for illustration.
Tax rate in retirement	Traditional IRA side	Roth IRA	Ahead
0%	$594,453	$487,256	Traditional by $107,196
10%	$545,727	$487,256	Traditional by $58,471
12%	$535,982	$487,256	Traditional by $48,726
22%	$487,256	$487,256	Level
24%	$477,511	$487,256	Roth by $9,745
32%	$438,531	$487,256	Roth by $48,726

In this model the break-even point is your tax rate today. Below it the traditional IRA leads, above it the Roth leads, and the return you assume changes the size of the gap but not the direction. The tie at equal rates depends on the invested tax saving growing untaxed. In an ordinary taxable account it would grow a little less, which tips an equal-rate case toward the Roth.

When the traditional IRA deduction shrinks

If neither you nor your spouse is covered by a retirement plan at work, such as a 401(k), your traditional IRA contribution is deductible in full at any income. If you are covered, the deduction is phased out as your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) rises. The 2026 ranges are:

Single or head of household, covered at work: $81,000 to $91,000.
Married filing jointly, the contributing spouse is covered: $129,000 to $149,000.
Married filing jointly, you are not covered but your spouse is: $242,000 to $252,000.
Married filing separately, covered at work: $0 to $10,000.

Single filer covered by a retirement plan at work, 2026. The deduction falls in a straight line across the range, rounded up to the next $10 with a $200 minimum, as in the IRS worksheet.
Modified AGI	Most you can deduct, under 50	Most you can deduct, 50 or older
$75,000	$7,500	$8,600
$81,000	$7,500	$8,600
$83,000	$6,000	$6,880
$85,000	$4,500	$5,160
$87,000	$3,000	$3,440
$89,000	$1,500	$1,720
$90,500	$380	$430
$91,000	$0	$0

Above the range you can still contribute to a traditional IRA, but there is no tax saving now. The calculator assumes a full deduction. If yours is reduced, lower the "tax rate now" in proportion. For example, if you can deduct half of the contribution at a 22% rate, enter 11%. That corrects the tax saved now. The result still taxes the whole balance in retirement, which is too harsh on the part you could not deduct.

Rules for both accounts

One shared limit. $7,500 for 2026, or $8,600 from age 50, across every IRA you own.
Roth income limit. Direct Roth IRA contributions are reduced, then barred, above certain incomes. The traditional IRA has no income limit for contributing, only for deducting.
Withdrawals before 59½. Either type can face a 10% additional tax on early withdrawals unless an exception applies.
Required minimum distributions. A traditional IRA makes you start withdrawing when you reach age 73, or age 75 if you were born in 1960 or later. The first can wait until April 1 of the next year. Miss one and the IRS can charge a 25% excise tax on the shortfall, or 10% if you fix it within two years. A Roth IRA has none for the original owner.
Deadline. Contributions for 2026 can be made until your 2026 tax return is due, not counting extensions.

What the result leaves out

Whether you qualify. It does not check the Roth IRA income limit, the traditional IRA deduction ranges above, or that your taxable pay covers the contribution.
Tax on the invested savings. The side pot of tax savings is grown with no tax on its gains. In an ordinary taxable account some tax would be due, which trims the traditional side a little.
One flat rate in retirement. Real withdrawals are spread over many years and fill several tax brackets. Your single rate is a stand-in for the average.
Future tax law. Brackets and rates can change before you retire.
State income tax. Add it to both rates if your state taxes income.
Uneven returns and fees. The same return is used for every year. Real investments rise and fall, can lose money, and carry fees.

Common mistakes

Comparing balances instead of after-tax values. The two balances are identical. The tax is the whole difference.
Using your average tax rate for today. The deduction saves tax at your top bracket, called your marginal rate.
Forgetting the deduction can be reduced. If you have a plan at work, check the ranges above first.
Leaving the tax saving out of the sum. Whether it is invested or spent decides which side ends ahead at retirement in this comparison.

Questions people ask

Is a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA better?

Neither is better for everyone. The result depends mostly on two tax rates that nobody can know for sure. In this calculator, a lower rate in retirement than today puts the traditional IRA ahead, as long as the tax it frees up is invested. A higher rate later puts the Roth ahead, and equal rates give a tie.

How much can I put in an IRA in 2026?

$7,500 in total, or $8,600 if you are 50 or older by the end of the year. You can split that between a traditional and a Roth IRA, but the two together cannot go over it or over your taxable pay. On a joint return, a spouse with little or no pay can use the other spouse's pay to qualify.

Can I deduct my traditional IRA contribution?

Yes, in full, if neither you nor your spouse is covered by a retirement plan at work. If you are covered, the deduction shrinks between $81,000 and $91,000 of income for single filers and $129,000 to $149,000 for joint filers in 2026.

Can I use this as a traditional IRA calculator?

Yes. The traditional IRA column shows the balance at retirement, the tax due on it at the rate you enter, and the tax you save each year from the deduction.

When do I have to start taking money out of a traditional IRA?

Required minimum distributions start when you reach age 73, or age 75 if you were born in 1960 or later. You can delay the first one until April 1 of the following year. A Roth IRA has no required distributions for the original owner.

What tax rate should I enter for retirement?

Nobody knows future tax law, so any figure is a guess. One starting point is the bracket your expected retirement income would fall into under today's rules. Try a lower and a higher rate to see how much the answer changes.

Can I have both a traditional and a Roth IRA?

Yes. You can split your contribution between them in any proportion, as long as the total stays within the $7,500 limit ($8,600 from age 50) and you meet the Roth income rules.

What if my traditional IRA contribution is not deductible?

You can still contribute, but you get no tax saving now. The IRS has you report nondeductible contributions on Form 8606 so that money is not taxed again when you withdraw it. This calculator assumes a full deduction.

Sources

Figures last checked against these sources on October 10, 2026. This page gives general information and estimates, not tax, legal or financial advice.