How much can I put in a Roth IRA, and what will it grow to?
The answer has two parts, and the calculator does them in order. First it works out your allowed contribution for the tax year from your filing status, modified AGI, age and compensation. Then it projects the account forward, putting in the allowed amount (or a smaller amount you choose) at the start of each year.
On the defaults, a single filer aged 40 with $160,000 of modified AGI in 2026 is inside the phase-out range, so the $7,500 limit falls to $4,000. From 50 the limit with catch-up is $8,600, reduced at the same income to $4,590. Contributing the allowed amount every year until 65, from $10,000 already in the account at a growth rate of 6%, the Roth IRA reaches $290,101: $108,850 paid in and $171,251 of growth.
IRS Notice 2026-13 explains that qualified distributions from a Roth IRA are not taxed, including the earnings. A distribution is qualified once you are 59 and a half (or on death or disability, or for a first home up to $10,000) and five years have passed since January 1 of the year of your first Roth IRA contribution. The calculator shows the balance and does not work out tax on anything taken out early.
What are the Roth IRA income limits for 2026 and 2027?
Notice 2025-67 and news release IR-2025-111, dated 13 November 2025, set the 2026 figures. Notice 2026-66 and IR-2026-136 set the 2027 figures on 12 November 2026.
| Filing status | 2026 phase-out | 2027 phase-out |
|---|---|---|
| Single, head of household, or married filing separately and living apart all year | $153,000 to $168,000 | $158,000 to $173,000 |
| Married filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse | $242,000 to $252,000 | $250,000 to $260,000 |
| Married filing separately, lived with spouse | $0 to $10,000 | $0 to $10,000 |
| Contribution limit | $7,500 | $7,500 |
| Catch-up at 50 and over | $1,100 | $1,100 |
Below the start of the range you can contribute the full limit. At or above the top you cannot contribute at all. In between, the limit is reduced. The separate-filer range of $0 to $10,000 is not adjusted for inflation, so it stays the same each year. The age 50 test is the end of the tax year: the IRS adds the catch-up for anyone who reaches 50 before the year closes.
How is a reduced Roth IRA contribution calculated?
IRS Publication 590-A sets out the steps in Worksheet 2-2, and the calculator follows them line by line. With the defaults:
- Line 6. The lesser of the dollar limit and your taxable compensation: $7,500.
- Line 5. How far into the range your income is: ($160,000 - $153,000) / $15,000 = 0.4667, rounded to three places, 0.467.
- Line 7 and 8. $7,500 x 0.467 = $3,502.50, and $7,500 - $3,502.50 = $3,997.50, rounded up to the next $10: $4,000.
- Floor. If line 8 comes out under $200 but your income is still below the top of the range, you can contribute $200.
- Line 11. The lesser of line 8 and the limit less anything paid into traditional IRAs for the year.
The range width is $15,000 for single filers and $10,000 for joint filers and separate filers who lived together. Rounding up and the $200 floor matter at the edges. At $155,555 of income the ratio is 0.170 and the result $6,225 rounds up to $6,230. At $167,900 the arithmetic gives $52.50, which rounds up to $60, so the $200 floor applies. Put $4,000 into a traditional IRA on the default inputs and line 11 caps the Roth IRA at $3,500, because the two share the $7,500 limit.
How much can I contribute to a Roth IRA at my income?
For 2026, the allowed contribution steps down across the range as follows:
| Modified AGI, single | Under 50 | 50 and over |
|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $7,500 | $8,600 |
| $155,000 | $6,510 | $7,460 |
| $160,000 | $4,000 | $4,590 |
| $165,000 | $1,500 | $1,720 |
| $168,000 or more | $0 | $0 |
Joint filers under 50 can put in $7,500 at $240,000, $5,250 at $245,000, $1,500 at $250,000 and nothing from $252,000. A joint filer aged 55 at $247,000 sits exactly halfway, so half of $8,600, or $4,300, is allowed. The chart How the income phase-out cuts the limit draws the same staircase for whatever status, age and year you pick. For 2027 the single range moves up by $5,000, so the same $160,000 income allows $6,510 instead of $4,000.
Married filing separately: why the Roth IRA limit is so low
If you are married, file separately and lived with your spouse at any time during the year, the phase-out runs from $0 to $10,000. Almost any income reduces the limit: at $5,000 of modified AGI the ratio is 0.5 and you can contribute $3,750. At $10,000 or more, nothing.
Publication 590-A treats you as single for this purpose if you file separately and did not live with your spouse at any time during the year. Then the single range applies, and the same $5,000 of income allows the full $7,500. Pick the matching option in Filing status; the two separate-filer choices give very different answers.
Roth IRA limits for US taxpayers paid in another currency
Every figure on this page is in US dollars, because the IRS ranges and limits are set in dollars, and the calculator never converts an amount from another currency. Enter modified AGI and compensation as the dollar figures on your US return; the worksheet then runs exactly as it does for anyone else.
Modified AGI is not always the same as the income on your payslip. Publication 590-A's Worksheet 2-1 starts from adjusted gross income and adds back items that include certain foreign income exclusions, so excluded foreign earnings can still count toward the Roth IRA range. Compensation abroad can also differ from what is taxable; enter the figure from your return.
What changes the Roth IRA result most?
Holding the other defaults, each row changes one input:
| Change | Value at 65 | Paid in |
|---|---|---|
| Defaults: $160,000 income, 2026 rules, 6% | $290,101 | $108,850 |
| Income below the range, full limit | $506,231 | $204,000 |
| 2027 rules, $160,000 income | $444,956 | $177,000 |
| Growth rate 4% | $212,192 | $108,850 |
| Growth rate 8% | $401,604 | $108,850 |
| Starting at 30 instead of 40 | $563,901 | $148,850 |
The phase-out costs the default saver $216,130 at 65 compared with someone below the range, because the reduced amount goes in every year. Ten more years of contributions are worth more than a two-point higher growth rate on these inputs. The projection holds your income and the chosen year's figures flat, so a raise that pushes income through the range, or new IRS limits, would change it.
How to work out a Roth IRA limit and growth in Excel
The worksheet fits in one cell. For a single filer in 2026 with modified AGI in B1 and the dollar limit in B2, =IF(B1>=168000, 0, IF(B1<=153000, B2, MAX(200, CEILING(B2-B2*ROUND((B1-153000)/15000,3), 10)))) returns $4,000 for $160,000 and $7,500. Excel's CEILING rounds up to the multiple you give it, here 10.
For growth with the same contribution each year paid at the start of the year, use FV with a type of 1. =FV(0.06, 25, -7500, -10000, 1) returns $479,091.58 for $7,500 a year over 25 years from $10,000. That leaves out the catch-up; to include it, build one row per year with the contribution in one column and the balance as (previous balance + contribution) x 1.06 in the next.
What this Roth IRA calculator leaves out, and common mistakes
It does not model a spousal IRA for a spouse with little or no pay, conversions from traditional IRAs, excess contributions and their correction, or tax on distributions that are not qualified. It holds income flat, so it cannot show a year when you move into or out of the range.
- Using AGI instead of modified AGI. Worksheet 2-1 adds items back, so modified AGI can be higher.
- Forgetting traditional IRA contributions. They come out of the same yearly limit.
- Rounding down. The worksheet rounds the reduced amount up to the next $10, with a $200 floor.
- Picking the wrong separate-filer range. Living apart all year moves you onto the single range.
- Assuming an age limit. Publication 590-A says Roth IRA contributions can be made regardless of age, as long as you have compensation.
Glossary
Roth IRA: an individual retirement account funded with after-tax money whose qualified distributions are not taxed. Modified AGI: adjusted gross income with the Worksheet 2-1 add-backs, used to test the range. Phase-out range: the band of income across which the limit falls to zero. Catch-up: the extra $1,100 allowed from the year you turn 50. Taxable compensation: pay for work, which caps the contribution. Qualified distribution: a withdrawal after 59 and a half (or death, disability or a first home) once the five-year period has passed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Roth IRA income limit for 2026?
For single and head-of-household filers, the limit phases out between $153,000 and $168,000 of modified AGI. For joint filers it is $242,000 to $252,000, and for separate filers who lived with their spouse $0 to $10,000, under IRS Notice 2025-67.
How much can I contribute to a Roth IRA in 2026?
Up to $7,500, or $8,600 if you are 50 or older by the end of 2026, if your modified AGI is below the range and your compensation is at least that much. Inside the range the amount is reduced, and above it nothing is allowed.
What are the 2027 Roth IRA limits?
The IRS announced on 12 November 2026 that the contribution limit stays $7,500, with the $1,100 catch-up. The phase-out moves to $158,000 to $173,000 for single filers and $250,000 to $260,000 for joint filers.
How do I calculate a reduced Roth IRA contribution?
Subtract the start of your range from your modified AGI, divide by the range width and round to three decimals. Multiply the limit by that figure, take it off the limit, and round up to the next $10, with a minimum of $200. At $160,000 for a single filer in 2026 that gives $4,000.
What happens at the $200 minimum?
If your income is inside the range but the reduced amount works out under $200, Publication 590-A lets you contribute $200. At $167,900 for a single filer in 2026 the arithmetic gives $60, so $200 is allowed.
Do traditional IRA contributions reduce my Roth IRA limit?
Yes. The yearly limit is shared, so the Roth IRA can take only the limit less what you put into traditional IRAs for the same year, if that is lower than the phase-out amount.
Is there an age limit for Roth IRA contributions?
No. Publication 590-A states that contributions can be made regardless of age. You need taxable compensation, and the catch-up applies from the year you turn 50.
How much will a Roth IRA be worth at 65?
That depends on what goes in and the growth rate you choose. Starting at 40 with $10,000 and the full $7,500 a year (with the catch-up from 50), growing at 6%, a Roth IRA reaches about $506,231 at 65.
Is Roth IRA growth tax free?
Qualified distributions are not taxed, including earnings, according to IRS Notice 2026-13. That means after age 59 and a half (or death, disability or a first home) and once five years have passed from the first contribution year.
Which separate-filer range applies to me?
If you lived with your spouse at any time during the year, $0 to $10,000. If you lived apart for the whole year, Publication 590-A treats you as single, so the single range applies.
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Last reviewed 14 November 2026 by the NIFM Academy editorial team. Next review by 31 October 2027.
United States, tax year 2026. Next review by 31 October 2027.
- IRS news release IR-2025-111, 401(k) limit increases to 24,500 dollars for 2026, IRA limit increases to 7,500 dollars, 13 November 2025, 2026: 401(k) elective deferral limit 24,500; catch-up at 50 and over 8,000; higher catch-up for ages 60 to 63 remains 11,250; IRA limit 7,500; IRA catch-up 1,100; Roth IRA phase-out 153,000 to 168,000 single and head of household, 242,000 to 252,000 married filing jointly, 0 to 10,000 married filing separately. Checked 14 November 2026.
- IRS Notice 2025-67, 2026 Amounts Relating to Retirement Plans and IRAs, as Adjusted for Changes in Cost-of-Living, 2026: section 402(g)(1) limit 24,500; section 415(c)(1)(A) defined contribution limit 72,000; section 401(a)(17) compensation limit 360,000; section 414(v)(2)(B)(i) catch-up 8,000; section 414(v)(2)(E)(i) catch-up for those who attain 60, 61, 62 or 63 in 2026 remains 11,250; Roth catch-up wage threshold for 2025 wages 150,000; IRA deductible amount 7,500 plus 1,100 at 50; Roth IRA phase-out ranges as in IR-2025-111. Checked 14 November 2026.
- IRS news release IR-2026-136, 401(k) limit increases to 25,500 dollars for 2027, IRA limit remains 7,500 dollars, 12 November 2026, 2027: 401(k) limit 25,500; catch-up at 50 and over 8,500; catch-up for ages 60 to 63 11,750; IRA limit remains 7,500; IRA catch-up remains 1,100; Roth IRA phase-out 158,000 to 173,000 single and head of household, 250,000 to 260,000 married filing jointly, 0 to 10,000 married filing separately. Checked 14 November 2026.
- IRS Notice 2026-66, 2027 Amounts Relating to Retirement Plans and IRAs, as Adjusted for Changes in Cost-of-Living, 2027: section 415(c)(1)(A) limit 75,000; section 402(g)(1) limit 25,500; catch-up 8,500; catch-up for those who attain 60 to 63 in 2027 11,750; Roth catch-up wage threshold for 2026 wages 155,000; section 401(a)(17) compensation limit 375,000; Roth IRA phase-out ranges as in IR-2026-136. Checked 14 November 2026.
- IRS Publication 590-A (2025), Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements, Worksheet 2-2 and Table 2-1, reduced Roth IRA limit: (modified AGI - start of range) / range width as a decimal rounded to at least three places, capped at 1.000; multiply by the lesser of the dollar limit or taxable compensation and subtract; round the result up to the nearest 10 dollars and enter 200 if it is less than 200; take the lesser of that and the limit less contributions to other IRAs. Married filing separately and not living with the spouse uses the single range. Contributions can be made regardless of age. Checked 14 November 2026.
- IRS Publication 590-B (2025), Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements, Appendix B Table III (Uniform Lifetime), applicable denominators from 27.4 at age 72 to 2.0 at 120 and over; the RMD for 2026 is the account balance at the end of 2025 divided by the denominator for the age reached in 2026, for example 100,000 / 24.6 = 4,065 at age 75; use Table II instead when the sole beneficiary is a spouse more than 10 years younger; first RMD by 1 April of the year after the year you reach age 73, later RMDs by 31 December. Checked 14 November 2026.
- IRS Notice 2026-13, explanations for eligible rollover distributions under section 402(f), section II.B.2, under section 401(a)(9)(C)(v) the applicable age is 73 for an individual who attains age 72 after 31 December 2022 and age 73 before 1 January 2033, and 75 for an individual who attains age 74 after 31 December 2032; the required beginning date is 1 April of the year after the later of the year the applicable age is reached or the year the employee retires; no lifetime RMDs from a designated Roth account in a plan. Checked 14 November 2026.
- IRS Internal Revenue Bulletin 2024-33, REG-103529-23, Required Minimum Distributions (proposed regulations published in the Federal Register on 19 July 2024), the 2024 final regulations reserve section 1.401(a)(9)-2(b)(2)(v) because section 401(a)(9)(C)(v) gives both 73 and 75 for employees born in 1959; the proposed paragraph reads: in the case of an employee born in 1959, the applicable age is age 73. Checked 14 November 2026.
- IRS, Retirement plan and IRA required minimum distributions FAQs, last reviewed 29 January 2026, Roth IRAs and designated Roth accounts have no RMDs while the owner is alive; workplace plan participants can delay RMDs until the year they retire unless they are a 5% owner; missed RMDs can face a 25% excise tax, 10% if corrected within two years; IRA RMDs are figured separately for each IRA but can be withdrawn from one or more of them; 401(k) RMDs are taken separately from each plan. Checked 14 November 2026.
- IRS Notice 2026-13, Appendix, explanation for payments not from a designated Roth account, qualified distributions from a Roth IRA are not taxed, including earnings; a qualified distribution is made after age 59 and a half (or after death or disability, or as a first-time homebuyer distribution of up to 10,000 dollars) and after you have had a Roth IRA for at least 5 years, counting from 1 January of the year of the first contribution. Checked 14 November 2026.