$100 a month for 5 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $6,618 | $618 | $5,709 |
| 5% | $6,781 | $781 | $5,850 |
| 6% | $6,949 | $949 | $5,994 |
| 7% | $7,120 | $1,120 | $6,141 |
| 8% | $7,294 | $1,294 | $6,292 |
| 10% | $7,656 | $1,656 | $6,604 |
Year by year at 7%
| Year | Put in so far | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,200 | $1,238 | $1,202 |
| 2 | $2,400 | $2,563 | $2,416 |
| 3 | $3,600 | $3,980 | $3,642 |
| 4 | $4,800 | $5,497 | $4,884 |
| 5 | $6,000 | $7,120 | $6,141 |
The range in 1,000 simulated markets
A 7% average does not arrive as 7% every year. In 1,000 simulated sequences of returns averaging 7% with 12% volatility, this is where $100 a month ended up: 1 in 10 markets finished below the first figure, half below the middle one, and 1 in 10 above the last.
| After | Weak (1 in 10 lower) | Middle | Strong (1 in 10 higher) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | $3,447 | $4,000 | $4,598 |
| 5 years | $5,808 | $7,015 | $8,540 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $7,120 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $7,120 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $7,120 pays about $285 a year, $24 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $246 a year. How long a balance near it lasts at each withdrawal: how long $100,000 lasts. To stop saving early and let growth do the rest, see Coast FIRE numbers by age.
$1,200 a year fits in an IRA, whose 2026 limit is $7,500 under 50. See contribution limits, the 401(k) calculator and the Roth IRA calculator.
$100 a month for other terms
| Years | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 5 years | $7,120 | $6,141 |
| $100 a month for 10 years | $17,105 | $12,728 |
| $100 a month for 15 years | $31,110 | $19,969 |
| $100 a month for 20 years | $50,754 | $28,101 |
| $100 a month for 25 years | $78,304 | $37,399 |
| $100 a month for 30 years | $116,945 | $48,180 |
| $100 a month for 35 years | $171,141 | $60,821 |
| $100 a month for 40 years | $247,154 | $75,767 |
Other amounts for 5 years
$50 a month: $3,560, $150 a month: $10,679, $200 a month: $14,239, $250 a month: $17,799, $300 a month: $21,359, $400 a month: $28,478, $500 a month: $35,598, $600 a month: $42,718, $750 a month: $53,397, $1,000 a month: $71,196, $1,500 a month: $106,794, $2,000 a month: $142,392, $2,500 a month: $177,990, $3,000 a month: $213,588, $5,000 a month: $355,979.
How it is worked out
Monthly amounts are deposited at the end of each month and compounded monthly at the rate that equals the annual return; lump sums compound once a year. The headline return is 7% a year, the Trinity-style average the site’s retirement pages use; stock-heavy portfolios have averaged more over long periods and bond-heavy ones less, which is why every page shows 4% to 10%. Today’s dollars divide by 3% inflation a year. The range comes from 1,000 simulated sequences of yearly returns averaging 7% with 12% volatility, with each year’s deposits added through the year. Fees and taxes are not taken out. More on the methodology page.