Project investment growth with contributions, returns and time — and see the cost of waiting.
Compare starting now with waiting this many years — the same monthly contributions, but fewer years of growth.
future value
Year-by-year growth
| Year | Invested | Growth | Balance |
|---|
How to use this tool
Enter the lump sum you are starting with, if any.
Add what you can invest every month.
Enter the annual return you expect and how many years you will invest.
Read the future value, the growth share, the year-by-year table and the cost of waiting.
Formula & worked example
Investing $10,000 initially plus $500 a month at an 8% annual return for 20 years grows to $343,778.24 — $130,000 of your own money plus $213,778.24 of growth. Waiting 5 years before starting, with the same contributions for only 15 years, reaches just $206,088.33, so waiting costs $137,689.91.
Limitations — read this before you rely on it
This is a projection, not a promise: real returns vary, can be negative, and are reduced by inflation, taxes and fees. Past performance does not predict future results. This calculator is not investment advice.
Frequently asked questions
Enter your starting amount, monthly contribution, expected annual return and horizon. The calculator projects the future value and shows how much of it is growth.
Yes. Set the waiting years in Advanced options. The comparison invests the same money for fewer years, showing exactly what delay costs.
The year-by-year table shows invested money, growth and balance each year. Growth is small at first and dominates later — that is compounding at work.
Returns are assumed constant, which never happens in real markets. Use a cautious return (for example 5–7% for diversified stock markets) and remember inflation, taxes and fees reduce real gains.
Index funds track a whole market index, so one fund gives broad diversification at low cost. This calculator works for any investment — the return you enter is what matters.