Investment Calculator
This investment calculator projects how your money could grow over time with a starting balance, regular contributions, and a chosen annual return. Just enter your numbers in the calculator above to see your estimated future balance. For example, $10,000 plus $500 a month at a 7% annual return grows to about $300,851 over 20 years. You put in $130,000, while compounding adds $170,851 in growth.
Investing calculators
How it works
The investment calculator above multiplies your contributions by a fixed annual return that compounds monthly. You provide a starting balance, a monthly contribution, an annual return rate, and a number of years. The tool then projects your ending balance and splits it into what you contributed versus what growth added.
Here is the key insight: in the example above, growth of $170,851 is larger than the $130,000 you contributed. Compounding means you earn returns on past returns, so over time growth can overtake your own deposits. The earlier you start, the bigger this effect becomes. This is an estimate — the calculator assumes one fixed annual return, but real markets rise and fall, so actual results will vary. Explore the compound interest calculator and investment growth calculator to go deeper.
Frequently asked questions
What is an investment calculator?
An investment calculator is a tool that projects how your money grows over time. You enter a starting amount, regular contributions, an annual return, and a time period. It then estimates your future balance and how much of it comes from growth versus your own deposits.
How accurate is this investment calculator?
The calculator gives an estimate, not a guarantee. It assumes one fixed annual return that compounds monthly. Real investment returns change year to year, so your actual balance could be higher or lower than the projection.
Why does growth eventually exceed my contributions?
Growth exceeds contributions because of compounding. You earn returns on your money and on past returns too. In the example above, $130,000 in deposits produced $170,851 in growth over 20 years, so growth outpaced what you put in.
Why does starting early matter so much?
Starting early matters because compounding needs time to build. The longer your money stays invested, the more returns stack on top of past returns. FINRA notes that even small investments can grow over time and benefit from compounding.
Which calculator should I use next?
Pick the tool that matches your goal. Try the compound interest calculator, the investment growth calculator, the high yield savings calculator, or the savings goal calculator. See all our free financial calculators.