An investment calculator estimates how a portfolio could grow over time based on a starting amount, ongoing contributions, and an assumed rate of return.
What you're investing to begin with, such as savings, a bonus, or an inheritance.
The amount you plan to add on a recurring basis.
How often you add to your investment.
The annual growth rate you expect your investments to earn.
How long you plan to stay invested before withdrawing the funds.
How often returns are added back to your balance, so they earn returns of their own.
$501,150 of that is investment growth, or 73% of your final balance.
Starting amount plus deposits
Earned over 30 years
Assumes a constant rate of return and that contributions are made at the end of each period. Actual returns vary year to year.
| Year | Contributions | Growth | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $16,000 | $919 | $16,919 |
| 2 | $22,000 | $2,339 | $24,339 |
| 3 | $28,000 | $4,294 | $32,294 |
| 4 | $34,000 | $6,825 | $40,825 |
| 5 | $40,000 | $9,973 | $49,973 |
| 6 | $46,000 | $13,782 | $59,782 |
| 7 | $52,000 | $18,299 | $70,299 |
| 8 | $58,000 | $23,578 | $81,578 |
| 9 | $64,000 | $29,671 | $93,671 |
| 10 | $70,000 | $36,639 | $106,639 |
| 11 | $76,000 | $44,544 | $120,544 |
| 12 | $82,000 | $53,455 | $135,455 |
| 13 | $88,000 | $63,443 | $151,443 |
| 14 | $94,000 | $74,587 | $168,587 |
| 15 | $100,000 | $86,971 | $186,971 |
| 16 | $106,000 | $100,683 | $206,683 |
| 17 | $112,000 | $115,820 | $227,820 |
| 18 | $118,000 | $132,486 | $250,486 |
| 19 | $124,000 | $150,790 | $274,790 |
| 20 | $130,000 | $170,851 | $300,851 |
| 21 | $136,000 | $192,796 | $328,796 |
| 22 | $142,000 | $216,760 | $358,760 |
| 23 | $148,000 | $242,892 | $390,892 |
| 24 | $154,000 | $271,345 | $425,345 |
| 25 | $160,000 | $302,290 | $462,290 |
| 26 | $166,000 | $335,905 | $501,905 |
| 27 | $172,000 | $372,384 | $544,384 |
| 28 | $178,000 | $411,934 | $589,934 |
| 29 | $184,000 | $454,777 | $638,777 |
| 30 | $190,000 | $501,150 | $691,150 |
These results are estimates, not predictions. They're calculated from the figures you entered and assume your rate of return and inflation rate hold steady every year, which real markets don't do. Change any input and the result changes. Use this to compare scenarios, not to plan around a specific number.
Enter your starting amount, additional contribution, contribution frequency, rate of return, and years to grow. The calculator shows your final balance, along with how much came from contributions and how much came from investment growth.
Starting amount is the amount you're investing to begin with, such as savings, a bonus, or an inheritance.
Additional contribution is the amount you plan to add on a recurring basis.
Contribution frequency is how often you add to your investment, such as monthly or annually.
Rate of return is the annual growth rate you expect your investments to earn.
Years to grow is the length of time you plan to stay invested before withdrawing the funds.
Compound frequency is how often your investment returns are added back to your balance, which then earns returns of its own.
Return expectations vary significantly by asset type. The S&P 500 has averaged roughly 10% to 11% annually over its history since 1957, dropping to around 6.8% once adjusted for inflation. Bonds have historically returned 3% to 5%, depending on the bond type, and real estate has averaged around 5.4% annually since the early 1990s, according to CEIC Data.
These are long-term averages, not annual guarantees. Stock returns are volatile year to year: the S&P 500 finished 2022 down 18%, then posted gains of 26% and 25% in the two years that followed. A 10% long-term average can include years far above or far below that number.
Diversification, spreading money across stocks, bonds, and other asset classes, is the primary way investors manage this volatility. When one holding underperforms, others may offset it.
The rate of return you enter has an outsized effect on your projection, more than almost any other input. A $10,000 investment growing at 5% annually reaches about $12,800 after five years; at 7.5%, it exceeds $14,000 over the same period. Because future returns can't be predicted with certainty, it's worth running the calculator more than once, using a conservative estimate and a more aggressive one, rather than treating a single projection as a guarantee.
A fiduciary financial advisor can help you set a realistic rate of return based on your actual asset allocation and build a diversified portfolio around your timeline. Matching with an advisor is free and comes with no pressure to commit.
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