Result
After tax, over 30 years
Roth comes out ahead by $15,143
Traditional 401(k)
$929,465
- Account after tax
- $736,794
- Invested tax saving
- $192,671
Roth
$944,608
Withdrawn tax free
The traditional side includes the tax you save now (about $2,400 a year) invested in a taxable account, which is the like-for-like comparison. Its growth is taxed, which is why Roth can still win at equal tax rates.