your first job

At 22 the Roth box costs $23 a check more. On the first-job plan it leaves $578K more at the end.

Roth means the tax comes out now, at the lowest rate of your career, and never again. Across every year of history since 1871 the plan's median ending balance is $2.00M with the box ticked and $1.43M without.

You asked for the link. The planner every chart came from is one tap away; the slides are below if you want them again.

Open the planner Type in one paycheck. About three minutes, in the browser.

Slide 1 of 6: At 22 the Roth box costs $23 a check more. On the first-job plan it leaves $578K more at the end.

Slide 2 of 6: Tax now at a first-job rate, or tax later on everything.

Slide 3 of 6: What the Roth box costs each payday.

Slide 4 of 6: A Roth pays no tax on the way out, so each year's draw is smaller and more keeps growing.

Slide 5 of 6: Nobody knows the tax rates in 2069. A first-job rate is known, and it is low.

Slide 6 of 6: Save this for the Roth question on the form.

Where to go next

Retire Plan

Type in one paycheck and it runs your plan through every year of market history since 1871, with the taxes worked out. About three minutes, in the browser.

Open it

Sources: Engine output, first-job plan, backtest across 83 cases since 1871, 2026 dollars.; Quick check, first-job plan, 26 paychecks a year, 2026 federal brackets..

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