Roth vs Traditional 401(k) Comparison

See whether a Roth or Traditional 401(k) leaves more money in your pocket at retirement.

Current annual salary ($)

Monthly contribution ($)

Years to retirement

Current marginal bracket %

Retirement marginal bracket %

Expected return %

Roth (after-tax, tax-free at withdrawal)

$1,700,294

Final account value $1,700,294. No tax owed on withdrawal if rules are met.

Traditional (pre-tax, taxed at withdrawal)

$1,475,395

Final value $1,700,294, taxed at withdrawal $255,044, plus tax saved today compounded at 7%.

Verdict — Traditional

Your expected retirement bracket is meaningfully lower than today's — the front-end tax break dominates.

Tax saved today

$118,800

Difference (Roth − Traditional)

$224,900

Compounding years

These ignore contribution-limit differences (Roth has income limits; 401(k) match is only available pre-tax), early-withdrawal penalties, and state tax. Most planners recommend a mix when future rates are uncertain.

About this tool

Type current and projected salary, marginal tax bracket (today and at retirement), contribution, expected return, and years. Get the tax savings today, the future account balance, the tax owed at withdrawal, and the net after-tax retirement income for both options side-by-side. A clean answer for the r/personalfinance Roth vs Traditional recommendation question.

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