What is a SIMPLE IRA?

A SIMPLE IRA is a retirement savings plan for small businesses that allows both employees and employers to contribute, following IRS rules and annual limits.

How much can I contribute to my SIMPLE IRA in 2026?

For 2026, employees can contribute up to $17,000, plus employer matching up to 3% of pay, subject to IRS limits.

Are SIMPLE IRA contributions tax-deductible?

Yes, employee contributions are made pre-tax, reducing your taxable income for the year. Employer contributions are also tax-deductible for the business.

Do I need to include my current balance?

Including your current SIMPLE IRA balance gives a more accurate projection, but you can leave it at zero if you’re just starting.

What does the “Expected Annual Return” mean?

This is your estimated average yearly investment growth rate. A common long-term assumption is 7%, but you can adjust based on your preferences.

Can I save or share my results?

Yes, you can copy your results or export them as a PDF or Excel file for your records or to discuss with a financial advisor.

Simple IRA Calculator

Estimate SIMPLE IRA growth and yearly savings.

Calculator Inputs

SIMPLE IRA · IRS limits, tax year 2026

Annual Compensation ($)

Employee Deferral ($)

Age (for deferral & catch-up)

Employer contribution

Match rate (% of pay, 1–3)

Current Balance ($)

Years (1–50)

Expected Return (%/year, 0–100)

Results

Employer + employee contributions and projected growth. Limits use tax year 2026.

Max Deferral

$17,000

Employer / Year

$2,400

Total / Year

$14,400

Final Balance

$648,952

Total Contributions

$288,000

Total Earnings

$355,952

Balance Growth Over Time

Projected balance by year

Contributions vs Earnings by Year

All 20 years

Yearly Breakdown

First 15 years. Download full schedule for all 20 years.

Year	Balance	Contributions	Earnings
1	$20,319	$14,400	$919
2	$36,746	$14,400	$2,027
3	$54,360	$14,400	$3,214
4	$73,248	$14,400	$4,488
5	$93,501	$14,400	$5,853
6	$115,218	$14,400	$7,317
7	$138,505	$14,400	$8,887
8	$163,475	$14,400	$10,570
9	$190,251	$14,400	$12,375
10	$218,962	$14,400	$14,311
11	$249,748	$14,400	$16,387
12	$282,760	$14,400	$18,612
13	$318,159	$14,400	$20,999
14	$356,117	$14,400	$23,558
15	$396,818	$14,400	$26,302

For educational and estimation purposes only; not financial or legal advice. U.S. context. SIMPLE IRA rules, employer elections, SECURE 2.0 exceptions, and IRS limits apply; confirm limits for your tax year at irs.gov and consult a tax or financial professional.

How It Works

To use the calculator, simply enter the following details:

Salary: Your annual pay before taxes.
Employee Contribution: The amount you wish to defer to your SIMPLE IRA each year.
Age: Your current age.
Matching Percentage (1–3%): The percentage of your salary your employer will match, typically up to 3%.
Current Balance: How much you already have saved in your SIMPLE IRA.
Years Until Retirement: How many years you plan to keep contributing before retiring.
Expected Annual Return (%): The average annual investment return you expect (e.g., 7%).

After you click "Calculate," the calculator provides:

Max Deferral: The maximum you’re allowed to contribute as an employee for the current IRS tax year.
Employer / Year: The total annual amount your employer will contribute based on your salary and chosen match rate.
Total / Year: Combined total of your contributions and employer contributions for the year.
Final Balance: The projected total value of your SIMPLE IRA at retirement, factoring in growth.
Total Contributions: The sum of all contributions made over the selected period.
Total Earnings: The total investment growth on your contributions.

Visual Charts and Schedule:

Balance Growth Over Time: See how your retirement savings may grow each year.
Contributions vs Earnings by Year: Understand how much of your ending balance comes from your own contributions versus investment growth.
Yearly Breakdown: Get a table of balances, yearly contributions, and earnings for the first 15 years, with an option to download the full 20-year schedule.

Export and Copy Features:

Copy: Instantly copy your results to use elsewhere.

Export PDF / Excel: Download a detailed report of your projections for record-keeping or sharing.

Understanding SIMPLE IRAs

A SIMPLE IRA (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees Individual Retirement Account) is a retirement savings plan designed for small businesses and self-employed individuals. SIMPLE IRAs are popular because they’re easy to set up and manage while allowing both employees and employers to contribute to retirement savings.

If you’re an employee or small business owner, understanding your contribution limits, employer matching, and the potential long-term growth of your SIMPLE IRA is essential. Planning ahead helps ensure you’re saving enough for retirement and maximizing your employer contributions.

This calculator helps you see how much you can contribute, how employer matching works, and what your retirement account might look like over time, so you can make informed decisions about your financial future.

How This Calculator Helps

This SIMPLE IRA Calculator is built to answer common questions like:

How much can I contribute to my SIMPLE IRA this year?
What will my employer match based on my salary?
What could my SIMPLE IRA be worth in the future?

By entering your salary, employee contribution, age, employer match percentage, current balance, years until retirement, and expected annual return, you get immediate projections, including:

Maximum salary deferral allowed for the current tax year
Employer’s annual contribution
Total yearly contributions
Projected final account balance at retirement
Cumulative contributions and earnings

Visual charts show your balance growth and how contributions and investment earnings build over time. This makes it easy to plan, compare scenarios, and stay on track for retirement.