$1,000 a month for 40 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $1,161,064 | $681,064 | $355,932 |
| 5% | $1,482,525 | $1,002,525 | $454,478 |
| 6% | $1,907,678 | $1,427,678 | $584,812 |
| 7% | $2,471,542 | $1,991,542 | $757,668 |
| 8% | $3,221,079 | $2,741,079 | $987,444 |
| 10% | $5,550,348 | $5,070,348 | $1,701,497 |
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 |
| 35 | $420,000 | $1,711,414 | $608,208 |
| 40 | $480,000 | $2,471,542 | $757,668 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 years | $306,364 | $474,039 | $752,769 |
| 40 years | $1,088,915 | $2,163,141 | $4,309,940 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $2,471,542 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $2,471,542 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $2,471,542 pays about $98,862 a year, $8,238 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $30,307 a year. How long a balance near it lasts at each withdrawal: how long $2.5 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 |
| $1,000 a month for 30 years | $1,169,453 | $481,799 |
| $1,000 a month for 35 years | $1,711,414 | $608,208 |
| 40 years | $2,471,542 | $757,668 |
Other amounts for 40 years
$50 a month: $123,577, $100 a month: $247,154, $150 a month: $370,731, $200 a month: $494,308, $250 a month: $617,886, $300 a month: $741,463, $400 a month: $988,617, $500 a month: $1,235,771, $600 a month: $1,482,925, $750 a month: $1,853,657, $1,500 a month: $3,707,313, $2,000 a month: $4,943,084, $2,500 a month: $6,178,855, $3,000 a month: $7,414,626, $5,000 a month: $12,357,710.
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.