Traditional IRA Calculator — Retirement Savings Growth
Project your Traditional IRA growth and estimate your after-tax balance at retirement accounting for withdrawal taxes.
How to use this calculator
👉 Fill in the boxes below and your answer appears instantly — no maths needed, we do it all for you! 🎉
In plain English — what does this do?
🌱 When you save money in a bank, the bank gives you a small gift (called interest) for keeping it there. Then next year, you get a gift on your gift too! This tool shows how much your money will grow over time.
A Traditional IRA calculator projects the pre-tax growth of your retirement account and estimates the after-tax balance you'll actually have available in retirement. Contributions may be tax-deductible now, but all withdrawals — contributions and earnings alike — are taxed as ordinary income. This calculator helps you understand both the gross balance and the net amount after estimated taxes.
Pre-Tax Balance at Retirement
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After-Tax Balance
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Total Contributed
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What is Traditional IRA Calculator — Retirement Savings Growth?
A Traditional IRA calculator projects the pre-tax growth of your retirement account and estimates the after-tax balance you'll actually have available in retirement. Contributions may be tax-deductible now, but all withdrawals — contributions and earnings alike — are taxed as ordinary income. This calculator helps you understand both the gross balance and the net amount after estimated taxes.
How to use it
- 1️⃣ Enter your current age and planned retirement age.
- 2️⃣ Enter your annual contribution amount.
- 3️⃣ Enter the expected annual return rate.
- 4️⃣ Enter your estimated tax rate at withdrawal (your expected retirement tax bracket).
- 5️⃣ Review the pre-tax balance, after-tax balance, and total contributions.
Formula
💡 See it in action — a real example
❓ Common questions
- Are Traditional IRA contributions tax-deductible?
- Contributions are fully deductible if you (and your spouse) don't have a workplace retirement plan, or if your income is below certain thresholds. Deductibility phases out at higher incomes for those with workplace plans.
- When must I start taking withdrawals?
- Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) must begin at age 73 (as of 2023 SECURE 2.0 rules). Failure to take RMDs results in a 25% excise tax on the amount not withdrawn.
- What is the penalty for early withdrawal?
- Withdrawals before age 59½ are subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty plus ordinary income tax, with some exceptions (first-time home purchase, disability, substantially equal periodic payments, etc.).
- Roth vs Traditional IRA — which is better?
- If you expect lower taxes in retirement than now, Traditional IRA gives you a bigger deduction when it matters most. If you expect higher taxes in retirement, Roth wins. Many financial planners recommend diversifying across both.
- What is the 2026 contribution limit?
- For 2026, the limit is $7,500 per year ($8,600 if age 50+). This limit is shared across all your IRAs — you can't contribute $7,500 to a Roth and another $7,500 to a Traditional in the same year.