Roth or traditional? The honest answer mostly comes down to one question: is your tax rate higher now or in retirement? This calculator compares what the same pre-tax contribution would be worth to you after tax under each option.
After-tax value at withdrawal
—
- Roth IRA
- Traditional IRA
- Amount used
Estimate only, not tax or financial advice. It assumes a traditional contribution is fully deductible and ignores Roth income limits, deduction phase-outs, required minimum distributions, early-withdrawal rules and state differences. Check your eligibility before contributing.
How this works
Both options start with the same pre-tax dollars. With a Roth you pay tax now, so less goes in, but withdrawals are tax-free. With a traditional IRA the full amount goes in and you pay tax when you withdraw. If your rates now and later are equal, the results match. The 2026 IRA limit is $7,500, plus a $1,100 catch-up at 50 or older. Roth contributions phase out for 2026 between $153,000 and $168,000 of modified AGI for single filers and heads of household, and between $242,000 and $252,000 for married couples filing jointly.
Sources
- IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500
- IRS Notice 2025-67 (2026 retirement plan limits)
- IRS: Retirement topics – Catch-up contributions
Figures checked against the sources above on October 24, 2026. By Fintrovert.