Tax treatment is what separates a textbook FIRE projection from one that actually pays your bills in retirement. A dollar in a 401(k) is not the same dollar as one in a Roth — and a Bitcoin sat held more than a year is taxed differently than dividends or muni-bond interest. This page does two things: it points you to the right calculator for where you are, and it runs a Roth-vs-Traditional decision in a single click.
If you already know which calculator you want, jump straight in. Otherwise the Roth/Traditional tool below answers the most common tax-aware planning question in under a minute.
Basic — 5 Assets
Cash, equities, bonds, Bitcoin, primary residence. Best for households early in the journey who want a clean overall picture without tax-account complexity.
Intermediate — 12 Assets
Adds the tax-advantaged accounts most people actually have: 401(k), Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, HSA, 529, I-bonds, rental property. Tags every line Taxable / Tax-Deferred / Tax-Free so your post-tax spendable number is real.
Advanced — 35 Assets
Full coverage: 401(k), Roth, SEP, 529, HSA, I-bonds, multiple rentals, alts, private real estate, annuities, collectibles, cash-value insurance, Bitcoin sleeves. For households with a tax preparer involved.
Roth vs Traditional — single contribution comparison
Plug in the contribution, the holding period, the return, and the two tax rates. The model compounds the contribution, applies the right tax treatment on the way in and on the way out, and tells you which bucket left you with more spendable cash at the end.
Tax-treatment cheat sheet
| Account | Contribution | Growth | Withdrawal | RMDs? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional 401(k) / IRA | Pre-tax | Tax-deferred | Ordinary income | Yes (age 73) |
| Roth 401(k) / IRA | After-tax | Tax-free | Tax-free | Roth IRA no, Roth 401(k) no (after 2024) |
| HSA | Pre-tax | Tax-free | Tax-free for qualified medical | No |
| 529 Plan | After-tax (state deductions vary) | Tax-free | Tax-free for qualified education | No |
| Taxable brokerage (long-term) | After-tax | Annual taxable dividends | LTCG (0/15/20%) | No |
| Bitcoin (self-custody, >1yr) | After-tax | Untaxed until sold | LTCG (0/15/20%) | No |
| I-Bonds / Treasuries | After-tax | Federal deferred until redemption; state-exempt | Federal ordinary income | No |
| Primary residence equity | After-tax | Untaxed unless rented | Sec. 121 — up to $250K/$500K gain exempt | No |