Traditional IRA Calculator
Project your Traditional IRA at retirement and its after-tax value, with tax-deferred growth, your contributions and the up-front tax your pre-tax contributions save.
Updated October 2026
Each year’s $7,000.00 contribution is pre-tax, cutting this year’s tax bill by about $1,540.00 at your 22% rate. The trade-off: withdrawals in retirement are taxed as income. A Traditional IRA wins when your tax rate is lower in retirement than today.
This is an estimate, not tax or investment advice. Traditional IRAs have annual contribution limits and required minimum distributions (RMDs) starting at age 73; early withdrawals before 59½ may incur a penalty. Check current IRS rules.
This is an estimate for general information only and is not financial, tax or investment advice. Figures may differ from a lender or advisor.
For your investing
Some of these are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
This Traditional IRA calculator projects what your account could be worth at retirement and what it's worth after tax. Enter your age, balance, annual contribution and expected return, and it compounds your savings to retirement — then applies your retirement tax rate to show the after-tax value, since Traditional IRA withdrawals are taxed as income.
A Traditional IRA is tax-deferred: contributions are usually pre-tax, so they lower your taxable income today, and the money grows without yearly tax drag. You pay income tax only when you withdraw in retirement. That makes it most valuable when your tax rate is lower in retirement than it is now.
How to use it
- 1Enter your current age, your planned retirement age and your current IRA balance.
- 2Add your annual contribution and the return you expect each year.
- 3Set your tax rate now and your expected tax rate in retirement.
- 4Read the projected balance, its after-tax value, your contributions and the tax-deferred growth.
Frequently asked questions
How is a Traditional IRA taxed?+
Contributions are typically pre-tax, so they reduce your taxable income in the year you make them. The balance grows tax-deferred, and you pay ordinary income tax on withdrawals in retirement. This calculator shows both the pre-tax balance and the after-tax value using your retirement tax rate.
Traditional IRA or Roth IRA — which is better?+
A Traditional IRA deducts tax now and taxes withdrawals later, so it wins if your tax rate will be lower in retirement. A Roth IRA is funded with after-tax money and withdrawals are tax-free, which wins if your rate will be higher later. If your rate is the same, the two are mathematically equivalent on the same contribution.
How much can I contribute to a Traditional IRA?+
The IRS sets an annual limit that changes over time, with an extra catch-up amount once you reach 50. Contribution deductibility can also phase out at higher incomes if you're covered by a workplace plan. Check the current year's IRS limits before maximizing.
What are required minimum distributions (RMDs)?+
Traditional IRAs require you to start withdrawing a minimum amount each year, currently from age 73. Those withdrawals are taxed as income. Roth IRAs have no RMDs for the original owner. This tool estimates growth to retirement and does not model RMD schedules.
What return should I assume?+
A diversified long-term portfolio has historically returned roughly 6–8% a year before inflation, but returns vary and are never guaranteed. Try a few rates to see a range of outcomes rather than relying on a single number.
Recommended reading
As an Amazon Associate, CalcLumen earns from qualifying purchases — at no extra cost to you.
Related calculators
Work out the monthly payment, total interest and total cost of any loan, with a full amortization schedule.
Estimate your full monthly mortgage payment — principal, interest, property tax, home insurance, PMI and HOA — with total interest and an amortization schedule.
Estimate your annual and monthly property tax from a home's value and your local rate, with assessment ratio, exemptions and your effective tax rate.
Find the compound annual growth rate between a beginning and ending value over a number of years, plus the total return and total gain.