Investment Calculator

How to use the investment calculator

Enter your initial investment, the monthly contribution you’ll add each month, the expected annual return you’re assuming, and the number of years you’ll stay invested. The large readout shows your projected future value, and the cells below break it into the total you contributed and the total gains earned on top of those contributions.

Adjust one input at a time to see what matters most. Increasing the monthly contribution, lengthening your time horizon, or assuming a higher return all raise the projected value — and because returns compound, longer horizons add the most. Use the export buttons to download the summary as CSV or Excel, print it to PDF, or copy a link that reopens the calculator with your exact numbers.

How it works and what the number means

The calculator compounds your balance monthly. Your initial lump sum grows at the monthly equivalent of your annual return, and each monthly contribution is added and compounds from the moment it’s invested. The future value is the sum of your grown lump sum and the grown stream of contributions, so money you invest early carries the most weight in the final figure.

The expected return here is a steady assumption, but real markets move up and down — actual results will vary year to year and are not guaranteed. The figures are nominal and before fees, taxes, and inflation, all of which reduce what you actually keep. Treat this as an educational projection to compare scenarios, not a promise of a specific outcome.