Roth or Traditional 401(k) — which keeps more money?

The same contribution, taxed now or taxed later. This tool finds the breakeven retirement tax rate and shows the after-tax difference — the answer advisors charge for, free.

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Traditional: after-tax at 65
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Roth: after-tax at 65
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Winner
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Breakeven retirement tax rate
What makes Roth vs Traditional different?Traditional defers tax: you contribute pre-tax, pay income tax on withdrawals in retirement. Roth taxes the contribution now and withdrawals are tax-free. Both grow at the same rate — the only question is which tax bill is smaller.
What is the breakeven rate?If your tax rate in retirement equals your rate today, Traditional and Roth end with identical after-tax money. Future rate lower → Traditional wins; future rate higher → Roth wins. This tool computes that exact breakeven for your numbers.
Is my retirement rate the same as my working rate?Often lower — many retirees drop a bracket even counting Social Security. But RMDs (required minimum distributions) can push it back up. Model 2–3 rates and look at the breakeven line.
Does the employer match favor one?Match is the same either way in most plans, but it's usually made pre-tax even for Roth contributions. The match portion behaves like Traditional — a common point where Roth math gets miscounted.