Investment calculator
Investment plan
Return assumptions
Net annual return is 6.75% after subtracting the fee drag assumption.
Advanced assumptions
Inflation affects only the real-value estimate. Nominal balances are still shown before taxes.
Return scenarios
Lower and higher scenarios adjust only the return assumption by two percentage points.
Balance over time
Starting balance and recurring contributions are shown separately from estimated growth.
Annual schedule
Growth is net of the annual fee drag assumption. Taxes and market volatility are not modeled.
| Year | Starting balance | Growth | Ending balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $25,000 | $1,871 | $32,871 |
| 2 | $32,871 | $2,402 | $41,273 |
| 3 | $41,273 | $2,969 | $50,243 |
| 4 | $50,243 | $3,575 | $59,817 |
| 5 | $59,817 | $4,221 | $70,038 |
| 6 | $70,038 | $4,911 | $80,949 |
| 7 | $80,949 | $5,648 | $92,597 |
| 8 | $92,597 | $6,434 | $105,031 |
| 9 | $105,031 | $7,273 | $118,304 |
| 10 | $118,304 | $8,169 | $132,473 |
| 11 | $132,473 | $9,125 | $147,598 |
| 12 | $147,598 | $10,146 | $163,744 |
| 13 | $163,744 | $11,236 | $180,981 |
| 14 | $180,981 | $12,400 | $199,380 |
| 15 | $199,380 | $13,642 | $219,022 |
| 16 | $219,022 | $14,967 | $239,989 |
| 17 | $239,989 | $16,383 | $262,372 |
| 18 | $262,372 | $17,894 | $286,265 |
| 19 | $286,265 | $19,506 | $311,772 |
| 20 | $311,772 | $21,228 | $339,000 |
Formula and methodology
The calculator applies your expected annual return after subtracting the annual fee drag assumption. Recurring contributions are added at the frequency and timing you choose, then the balance grows between contribution events.
Inflation and scenarios
Real value discounts the projected final balance by the inflation assumption. Lower and higher scenarios adjust only the expected return by two percentage points, so they are sensitivity checks, not forecasts.
No advice or live data
This educational calculator uses only the assumptions you enter. It does not use live market data, include taxes, model volatility, or provide personalized financial advice.
When to use it
Use this tool to compare simple long-term investment paths from a starting balance, recurring deposits, time horizon, expected return, inflation, and fee assumptions.
Contribution timing
Beginning-period contributions have more time to grow than end-period contributions. The difference is usually larger with longer horizons, larger contributions, and higher return assumptions.
Need help?
See the investment calculator help page for inputs, methodology, FAQ, and troubleshooting.
Related calculators
Compare this topic with the Compound interest , Retirement , 401(k) pages.
What a realistic investment projection includes
A projection is only as honest as the costs it subtracts. Headline return assumptions ignore the two forces that quietly reduce what you can actually spend later: fees charged on the balance every year, and inflation eroding what each future dollar buys. This calculator includes both so the result is closer to spendable value than to a brochure number.
Nominal vs inflation-adjusted results
The nominal final balance is the account statement you would see; the real value discounts that balance by your inflation assumption. At 2.5% inflation, $100,000 received 30 years from now buys roughly what $48,000 buys today. When comparing scenarios across different time horizons, the inflation-adjusted figure is usually the more meaningful one.
How fee drag compounds against you
Fees compound the same way returns do, just in the wrong direction. $100,000 growing at 7% for 30 years reaches about $761,000; at 6% — the same return minus a 1% annual fee — it reaches about $574,000. A single percentage point of fees consumed roughly a quarter of the ending balance. The mechanics are the same compounding math explained on the compound interest calculator page.
Why contributions dominate early, returns dominate late
In the first years, almost all growth in the balance comes from deposits, because there is little money for returns to act on. Decades in, the relationship flips and the annual market gain on the balance can exceed a full year of contributions. That is why starting early matters more than starting big, and why retirement accounts such as a 401(k) reward steady payroll contributions.
What this projection cannot know
The calculator applies one smooth return every year. Real markets deliver returns in an unpredictable sequence, and two investors with identical average returns can end with different balances depending on when the bad years land. Treat the output as a planning baseline, test it with the lower and higher scenarios, and revisit it with the retirement calculator when the question shifts from growing money to spending it. For a deeper look at the cost side, read How Fees And Inflation Quietly Eat Investment Returns.