Updated · Built and checked by the PlinzoTools team, formulas tested against published sources
Project IRA growth from annual contributions, current balance, and expected return over time.
Total contributed: $160000.00
$307963.29
IRAs are typically funded with annual (not payroll-driven monthly) contributions, a genuinely different compounding schedule from a 401k. This calculator also covers the identical "Roth IRA Calculator" search intent -- the growth math is exactly the same for Traditional and Roth IRAs; what differs is the tax treatment (Traditional contributions are often pre-tax with taxable withdrawals, while Roth contributions are after-tax with tax-free qualified withdrawals), not this calculation.
Enter your current IRA balance, planned annual contribution, expected annual rate of return, and number of years.
Future Value = Current Balance × (1 + r)n + Annual Contribution × (((1 + r)n − 1) ÷ r)
where r = annual rate and n = number of years (annual compounding, matching annual contributions)
Annual IRA contribution limits are set by the IRS and change periodically -- this calculator doesn't enforce or check those limits, so verify your planned contribution doesn't exceed the current year's cap.
Using hypothetical figures, suppose you start with $10,000 and add $6,500 at the end of each year for 20 years at 6%. The existing balance grows on its own, and each annual deposit grows for the number of years it stays invested. The earliest deposits have nearly the full 20 years to compound, while the last one has almost none. That is why the ending balance is far above the $140,000 total contributed: a large share comes from growth rather than deposits.
The calculator uses annual compounding with one deposit per year. In real life, you may deposit at the start of the year, spread deposits monthly, or make your contribution close to the tax filing deadline. Depositing earlier in the year gives that money extra months to grow, so an actual result can differ somewhat from the model. If you contribute monthly, the Retirement Calculator, which uses a monthly schedule, may match your habit more closely.
This tool cannot pick for you, because the growth is identical. The decision usually hinges on whether your tax rate now is higher or lower than you expect it to be in retirement, along with eligibility rules such as income limits. These rules and the deductibility of Traditional contributions depend on your situation, so consult IRS.gov or a tax professional. One practical way to use the calculator is to project the balance, then think about how much of it would be taxable if withdrawn.
You can also model a spouse's IRA separately and add the results, or test how much difference it makes to contribute for 10 years versus 20. Comparing runs is more informative than any one number.
No -- the growth math is identical; the difference is entirely in tax treatment (pre-tax contributions/taxable withdrawals for Traditional, vs. after-tax contributions/tax-free qualified withdrawals for Roth), not the compounding calculation itself.
IRA contributions are typically made annually (often as a single deposit or a few deposits per year, not payroll-driven), so annual compounding better matches how the account actually grows compared to a monthly-contribution 401k model.
No. It only projects growth. Any deduction or tax-free withdrawal is outside the calculation.
Your real balance would likely end up a bit higher than shown, because each deposit would have one additional year of growth. Treat the result as a slightly conservative estimate in that case.
You can enter the rolled-over amount as the current balance with zero contribution to see projected growth. Inherited accounts often have distribution rules that this tool does not model.
Yes, if you can estimate it. Fund and account fees reduce your net return, so a rate net of fees is more realistic.
Reference: Social Security Administration