Retirement Growth Calculator
Project how your investments could grow over time with monthly contributions and a chosen return assumption. See how much comes from your own contributions versus compound growth, and adjust for inflation.
Inputs
$500
Timeline (Every 5 Years)
| Year | Total contributions | Balance (nominal) | Balance (today's $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 5 | $40,000 | $51,637 | $44,542 |
| Year 10 | $70,000 | $113,669 | $84,581 |
| Year 15 | $100,000 | $206,088 | $132,280 |
| Year 20 | $130,000 | $343,778 | $190,342 |
| Year 25 | $160,000 | $548,915 | $262,165 |
| Year 30 | $190,000 | $854,537 | $352,058 |
Summary at End of Period
Years invested30.0 years
Monthly contribution$500
Total contributed (all years)$190,000
Estimated future value (nominal)$854,537
Growth (earnings over contributions)$664,537
Estimated value in today's dollars$352,058
adjusted for ~3.0%/yr inflationWhere Your Ending Balance Comes From
Contributions: 22.2%Growth: 77.8%
Cash Flow Perspective
• You're investing $500 per month ($6,000 per year).
• Over 30.0 years, that piles up to $190,000 of your own money.
• If your investments actually earned about 8.0% per year on average, the market would add roughly $664,537 on top of your contributions.
• Most of your final balance is growth, not contribution—classic compounding. Keeping contributions steady and staying invested does the heavy lifting.