401k / IRA Impact

The 401k/IRA Impact Calculator compares Traditional (pre-tax) and Roth (after-tax) retirement account contributions over time to help you determine which approach maximizes your after-tax wealth in retirement. Enter your current income, tax bracket, expected retirement tax bracket, annual contribution, expected return, and years to retirement. The dual-line chart shows the after-tax wealth trajectory for each approach, revealing the crossover point where one strategy surpasses the other. The Traditional vs Roth decision depends primarily on whether you expect your tax rate to be higher or lower in retirement. If your current rate is higher, Traditional wins. If you expect higher future rates (early career or anticipating tax increases), Roth wins. This calculator makes that comparison concrete with your actual numbers.