$1,000 a month for 30 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $685,271 | $325,271 | $282,322 |
| 5% | $815,376 | $455,376 | $335,924 |
| 6% | $974,513 | $614,513 | $401,486 |
| 7% | $1,169,453 | $809,453 | $481,799 |
| 8% | $1,408,551 | $1,048,551 | $580,304 |
| 10% | $2,062,843 | $1,702,843 | $849,864 |
Year by year at 7%
| Year | Put in so far | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $12,000 | $12,380 | $12,020 |
| 2 | $24,000 | $25,627 | $24,156 |
| 3 | $36,000 | $39,801 | $36,424 |
| 5 | $60,000 | $71,196 | $61,414 |
| 10 | $120,000 | $171,052 | $127,279 |
| 15 | $180,000 | $311,105 | $199,686 |
| 20 | $240,000 | $507,536 | $281,011 |
| 25 | $300,000 | $783,042 | $373,985 |
| 30 | $360,000 | $1,169,453 | $481,799 |
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 $1,000 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 years | $206,639 | $297,280 | $422,692 |
| 30 years | $615,975 | $1,066,838 | $1,900,184 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $1,169,453 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $1,169,453 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $1,169,453 pays about $46,778 a year, $3,898 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $19,272 a year. How long a balance near it lasts at each withdrawal: how long $1.25 million lasts. To stop saving early and let growth do the rest, see Coast FIRE numbers by age.
$12,000 a year is more than the 2026 IRA limit of $7,500 but fits in a 401(k), 403(b) or TSP, whose limit is $24,500. See contribution limits, the 401(k) calculator and the Roth IRA calculator.
$1,000 a month for other terms
| Years | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| $1,000 a month for 5 years | $71,196 | $61,414 |
| $1,000 a month for 10 years | $171,052 | $127,279 |
| $1,000 a month for 15 years | $311,105 | $199,686 |
| $1,000 a month for 20 years | $507,536 | $281,011 |
| $1,000 a month for 25 years | $783,042 | $373,985 |
| 30 years | $1,169,453 | $481,799 |
| $1,000 a month for 35 years | $1,711,414 | $608,208 |
| $1,000 a month for 40 years | $2,471,542 | $757,668 |
Other amounts for 30 years
$50 a month: $58,473, $100 a month: $116,945, $150 a month: $175,418, $200 a month: $233,891, $250 a month: $292,363, $300 a month: $350,836, $400 a month: $467,781, $500 a month: $584,726, $600 a month: $701,672, $750 a month: $877,089, $1,500 a month: $1,754,179, $2,000 a month: $2,338,905, $2,500 a month: $2,923,632, $3,000 a month: $3,508,358, $5,000 a month: $5,847,263.
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.