About this calculator
By modeling scenarios with and without bitcoin, this calculator helps visualize how bitcoin could impact your retirement plan. Whether you're exploring how to retire earlier, determining how much you need to save, or planning a legacy for your loved ones, this tool can help run the numbers.
About the chart: The chart shows different scenarios and how they would impact your portfolio balance across your lifetime. You may see three strategies displayed: Your bitcoin strategy, showing a retirement plan based exactly on your inputs above; Maximum bitcoin strategy, showing a retirement plan based on your inputs above where all tax-advantaged custom balances are rolled over or converted to bitcoin held in a Roth IRA; and 60/40 portfolio, showing the estimated performance of your total assets as if allocated to 60% stocks, 40% bonds.
How this calculator handles withdrawals: This tool assumes that, for individuals below age 59.5, non-Roth assets are liquidated first, with proceeds taxed at the long-term capital gains rate. If non-Roth assets are depleted, withdrawals shift to Roth assets, which incur a 20% income tax and a 10% early withdrawal penalty. Actual income tax brackets and early withdrawal penalties vary. At or above age 59.5, withdrawals are distributed proportionally across all asset types without penalties. If withdrawals begin below age 59.5, funds are drawn first from the non-Roth accounts, and after depletion, withdrawals move to the Roth accounts, incurring the associated taxes and penalties. For withdrawals at or above age 59.5, they are distributed proportionally based on each asset's share of the total portfolio.
Your calculator inputs are only used to generate portfolio outcomes, which are for illustrative purposes only. The share button can be used to generate a link that will pre-populate the calculations on this page in their current state. This calculator does not account for unforeseen changes in market conditions, legal changes, or variability in returns. Consult a financial advisor for advice on how to interpret these results.
IRA account types
Traditional IRA: A Traditional IRA is funded pre-tax. That means you will get a tax break now, and after age 59.5, withdrawals from a Traditional IRA are generally taxed at ordinary income rates. These will usually be funded by a rollover from an existing Traditional IRA or 401(k). They are generally best-suited for people who expect to be in a lower tax bracket when they begin taking withdrawals or otherwise prefer tax benefits “up front” rather than in the future. Contributions to Traditional IRAs give you current-year tax benefits because they are tax-deductible.
Roth IRA: A Roth IRA is funded post-tax. That means if you meet certain age and other requirements, withdrawals from a Roth IRA after retirement age are generally free of all taxes. Roth IRAs will usually be funded either by a rollover from an existing Roth IRA or Roth 401(k) or by a “Roth conversion” of non-Roth retirement funds. They are generally best-suited for people who expect to be in a higher tax bracket when they begin taking withdrawals. Unlike Traditional IRAs, Roth IRA contributions offer no current-year tax benefits as they are not tax-deductible. A Traditional IRA can be converted to a Roth IRA. The conversion will be subject to income tax, but will be exempt from the usual 10% penalty on early distributions. Some Roth IRA contributions can be withdrawn before retirement age tax-free, but the above calculator does not take this nuance into account.
SEP and SIMPLE IRAs: If you are self-employed, you may be able to contribute up to 20% of your “net self-employment earnings” with a maximum of $61,000 (the maximum for 2022, although this changes annually) to a SEP IRA. A SIMPLE IRA is a special type of group retirement plan for small employers that has declined in popularity over the years. You can usually roll any balance from a SIMPLE IRA into a bitcoin IRA tax-free. However, SIMPLE IRAs do have a special rule that rollovers are not allowed during the first two years of the account's existence.
If you anticipate higher tax rates in retirement and/or expect your bitcoin or other investments to see outsized returns, the Roth IRA should be considered as a tax-advantaged vehicle for holding bitcoin retirement savings.
This information is provided for educational and illustrative purposes only, and cannot be relied upon as tax or investment advice. Unchained makes no representations regarding the tax consequences or investment suitability of any structure described herein, and all such questions should be directed to a tax or financial advisor of your choice.
Unchained Capital, Inc. is not a bank. Unchained Capital, Inc. (NMLS ID: 1900773), Unchained Trading, LLC (NMLS ID: 2273761), and Bitcoin Collateral Services LLC (NMLS ID: 2423070) are licensed to provide certain financial services.
