Home / Calculators / Investment calculator
Investment calculator
What an investment grows to with yearly contributions that rise, after fees, and in today's dollars.
Investing $10,000 now and $6,000 a year, rising 3% a year, at a 7% return with 0.5% fees, grows to $516,949 in 25 years. That is $246,898 in today's dollars at 3% inflation; the fees alone cost $37,373.
Your investment
$516,949
You put in $228,756; growth adds $288,194. In today's dollars: $246,898.
Fees of 0.5% a year cost $37,373 over the period.
| Year | Money put in | Balance | In today's dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | $10,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| 5 | $41,855 | $49,840 | $42,993 |
| 10 | $78,783 | $110,181 | $81,985 |
| 15 | $121,593 | $199,525 | $128,068 |
| 20 | $171,222 | $329,671 | $182,531 |
| 25 | $228,756 | $516,949 | $246,898 |
What drives the result
Four numbers decide most of it: how long the money stays invested, the return, how much you add and the fees. Over 25 years, raising the return from 6% to 7% changes the end balance from $450,841 to $516,949; cutting fees from 1% to 0.1% changes it from $482,537 to $546,598.
Future dollars and today's dollars
A balance 25 years from now buys less than the same number today. At 3% inflation, $516,949 then is worth $246,898 now. Planning in today's dollars, as the FIRE calculator does, keeps a goal comparable with your current spending.
Contributions by year
| Years | Money put in | Balance | In today's dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $78,783 | $110,181 | $81,985 |
| 20 | $171,222 | $329,671 | $182,531 |
| 30 | $295,452 | $783,933 | $322,970 |
Questions people ask
How much will I have if I invest $500 a month?
$6,000 a year at 7% for 30 years, with no starting amount, no raises and no fees, grows to $566,765, of which $180,000 is money put in.
How much will 100k grow in 20 years?
At 7% a year with nothing added, $100,000 becomes $386,968; at 5%, $265,330. The returns are examples, not forecasts.
What is a good return on investment per year?
There is no single answer; it depends on what you hold and the period. Enough Path's calculators default to 5% a year after inflation, which you can change; see the methodology for why.
Related
The compound interest calculator works with monthly contributions, and the rule of 72 calculator shows how long money takes to double.
These figures are illustrations from the return you enter, not a forecast. Real returns vary from year to year. See the disclaimer.
Last reviewed by Asier Fernández, editor, on . Educational information only, not financial advice. How we calculate