Calculators
These calculators are hypothetical illustrations of arithmetic, not forecasts. They show how contributions, time, assumed returns and costs interact. Real returns vary every year and can be negative.
Compound growth calculator
Adjust the starting amount, contribution, time and assumptions to see how much of an outcome comes from money you added versus hypothetical growth.
Your assumptions
A commonly used illustration rate. These are inputs to a hypothetical calculation, not expected or guaranteed returns.
Turned off: fees, inflation, contribution increases and deposit timing are back to their defaults.
Applied in this calculation
7.0% effective annual return · $500 monthly ($6,000 a year) · deposits at the end of each period · no fees · no inflation · no taxes
Projected portfolio
$660,849
After 30 years, monthly contributions.
Money you contributed
$190,000
$6,000 a year in deposits. Changing frequency changes this amount, not just compounding.
Estimated investment growth
$470,849
From contributions
28.8%
From growth
71.2%
Investment multiple
3.48×
The compounding crossover
Year 18
The point where hypothetical growth becomes larger than the money you personally added.
Compound growth
Portfolio value against the money you contributed. The vertical marker is the compounding crossover.
Hypothetical illustration based on the assumptions entered above. It is not a projection of actual results, and it does not include taxes or trading costs. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Contributions and growth, separated
Wealth comes from both saving and returns. The lower band is your own money.
| Year | Contributed | Growth | Account value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | $40,000 | $9,623 | $49,623 |
| 10 | $70,000 | $35,197 | $105,197 |
| 20 | $130,000 | $162,465 | $292,465 |
| 30 | $190,000 | $470,849 | $660,849 |
What can waiting cost?
The same plan, the same assumptions, measured at year 30. Only the start date changes.
Start today
$660,849
Reference
Start in 1 year
$611,831
$-49,018 vs starting today
Start in 5 years
$445,795
$-215,054 vs starting today
Start in 10 years
$292,465
$-368,384 vs starting today
Time itself is a major component of compounding. These are hypothetical mathematical projections, not predictions, and they assume contributions only begin at the chosen start date.
Fee impact calculator
A fixed plan — $10,000 to start, $500 at the end of each month, a 7% assumed effective annual return — compared with and without an annual fee. Simplified assumption: the fee is subtracted from the annual return. Taxes and inflation are excluded.
- Without the fee
- $660,849
- With the fee
- $544,691
- Hypothetical cost of the fee
- $116,157 (17.6% of the no-fee balance)
Hypothetical illustration only. Constant returns do not occur in real markets, and these figures do not represent the performance of any investment or account.