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Personal Finance/401(k) vs Roth IRA

401(k) vs Roth IRA

Side-by-side comparison with growth curves — drag sliders to see which wins for you.

2026 LIMITS30-year projectionEmployer matchTax dragRecommendation
30 yrs
65 yrs
24%
22%
$7,000
$3,500
7%
2026 limits: 401(k) $23,500 · IRA $7,000 · HSA $4,300
35-Year Projection
After-tax value at retirement — drag sliders to see curves update
$0$189K$377K$566K$755KYr 0Yr 7Yr 14Yr 21Yr 28Yr 35Traditional 401(k)Roth IRA
Traditional 401(k)
Pre-tax in, taxed out
$754773
Roth IRA
Taxed in, tax-free out
$735420
Employer Match
Free money (Traditional bucket)
$483829
🏆 Better for you
Traditional 401(k)
Saves you $19353 over 35 years
Next Steps
Maximize tax-advantaged accounts
HSA and FSA offer additional tax savings — see how much you can save
HSA/FSA calculator →
See compound growth
Visualize how your retirement contributions grow over 30 years
Compound calculator →
Data Source & Legal Disclaimer
Effective: 2025 tax year (IRS Rev. Proc. 2024-40)Last updated: 2 days agoUpdate: Annual
Sources: IRS Revenue Procedure 2024-40 (2025 inflation adjustments) · IRS.gov — Tax Brackets & Rates · State tax rates: respective state Department of Revenue websites · IRS — 401(k) Contribution Limits

2026 401(k) contribution limit: $23,500 ($31,000 if age 50+). Roth contributions are post-tax; Traditional are pre-tax. Investment returns assumed at 7% nominal. This is for estimation only — consult a financial advisor.

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