Last updated 23 August 2026
How the projection works
Your current savings grow on their own at the assumed rate, compounding monthly. Each month's new contribution then has its own remaining time to grow, so an amount added in year one contributes far more by the end than one added in the final year. Add both together and that's the projected total — what you contributed, plus what growth added on top.
Common questions
What return rate should I assume?
There's no guaranteed answer — diversified stock portfolios have historically averaged around 7-10% before inflation over long periods, but any specific year can be very different. Using a conservative estimate gives a more reliable planning figure than an optimistic one.
Why does starting early matter so much?
Compound growth needs time more than it needs a large contribution. Money added in your 20s has decades to compound, so it can end up contributing more to the final total than a larger amount added later with less time to grow.
Does this account for inflation?
No — the total shown is in today's-dollar terms only if your return rate is already inflation-adjusted (a "real" return). If you use a nominal return rate instead, the final number will look larger than its actual purchasing power at retirement.