A worked example
Targeting $500,000 in 25 years, starting with $10,000 at a 7% return, requires contributing about $547 a month — the starting amount alone grows to roughly $57,254 on its own, leaving the rest to be built from contributions and their own growth.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the Savings Calculator?
The Savings Calculator fixes your monthly deposit and solves for how long it takes. This fixes the time horizon and solves for the monthly deposit needed — useful when you have a deadline (like a specific retirement age) rather than a flexible timeline.
What if my starting amount alone is projected to exceed my goal?
Then no further contribution is needed at all — the calculator will say so directly rather than showing a negative or nonsensical number.
This calculator provides estimates for general informational purposes only and is not financial advice. Actual investment returns are not guaranteed.