How this calculator works
For 2026 the combined IRA contribution ceiling is $7,500, or $8,600 at age 50 or older, limited by taxable compensation. Direct Roth contributions phase out from $153,000 to $168,000 for single filers and heads of household, or $242,000 to $252,000 for joint filers. Married-separate filers who lived with a spouse use $0 to $10,000; living apart all year uses the single range. The worksheet reduction is rounded up to $10, with a $200 minimum while inside the phase-out, then limited by compensation and contributions to other IRAs. The projection repeats today eligible contribution at each year end without forecasting future law, income, catch-ups or eligibility. Roth contributions are after-tax dollars; the pre-tax cost output illustrates their current tax cost.
Formula
Base = min(age-based IRA ceiling, taxable compensation). Within a phase-out: reduced limit = base x (upper threshold - MAGI)/(upper - lower), rounded up to $10 with a $200 minimum and capped at base. Room = max(0, min(reduced limit, base - other IRA contributions)). FV = current balance x (1+r)^n + room x ((1+r)^n - 1)/r, using room x n when r = 0.
Worked example
A single filer under 50 with $160,500 MAGI and enough compensation is halfway through the 2026 phase-out, giving $3,750 before other IRA contributions. A single filer aged 50 at $100,000 MAGI can have an $8,600 ceiling. At zero return and two annual $7,500 deposits, a starting $0 balance becomes $15,000.
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Frequently asked questions
Does MAGI mean gross salary?
No. Roth IRA MAGI uses tax-return adjustments and can differ from salary or adjusted gross income. Use the IRS worksheet when needed.
Are other IRAs relevant?
Yes. Traditional and Roth contributions share the annual ceiling. Enter contributions already made to other IRAs so the remaining room does not overstate it.
Does the projection prove future eligibility?
No. It holds the estimated 2026 contribution constant. Check each future year separately. Spousal IRA compensation rules, conversions and excess-contribution corrections need separate treatment.