$1,500 a month for 20 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $545,763 | $185,763 | $302,176 |
| 5% | $608,707 | $248,707 | $337,026 |
| 6% | $680,158 | $320,158 | $376,587 |
| 7% | $761,305 | $401,305 | $421,516 |
| 8% | $853,499 | $493,499 | $472,561 |
| 10% | $1,077,389 | $717,389 | $596,524 |
Year by year at 7%
| Year | Put in so far | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $18,000 | $18,570 | $18,030 |
| 2 | $36,000 | $38,441 | $36,234 |
| 3 | $54,000 | $59,702 | $54,636 |
| 4 | $72,000 | $82,452 | $73,257 |
| 5 | $90,000 | $106,794 | $92,121 |
| 6 | $108,000 | $132,840 | $111,251 |
| 7 | $126,000 | $160,709 | $130,671 |
| 8 | $144,000 | $190,529 | $150,405 |
| 9 | $162,000 | $222,437 | $170,479 |
| 10 | $180,000 | $256,578 | $190,918 |
| 11 | $198,000 | $293,108 | $211,748 |
| 12 | $216,000 | $332,197 | $232,996 |
| 13 | $234,000 | $374,021 | $254,690 |
| 14 | $252,000 | $418,773 | $276,858 |
| 15 | $270,000 | $466,657 | $299,529 |
| 16 | $288,000 | $517,894 | $322,734 |
| 17 | $306,000 | $572,717 | $346,503 |
| 18 | $324,000 | $631,377 | $370,868 |
| 19 | $342,000 | $694,144 | $395,861 |
| 20 | $360,000 | $761,305 | $421,516 |
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 $1,500 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 years | $189,055 | $248,266 | $328,192 |
| 20 years | $459,547 | $711,058 | $1,129,154 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $761,305 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $761,305 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $761,305 pays about $30,452 a year, $2,538 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $16,861 a year. How long a balance near it lasts at each withdrawal: how long $750,000 lasts. To stop saving early and let growth do the rest, see Coast FIRE numbers by age.
$18,000 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.
$1,500 a month for other terms
| Years | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| $1,500 a month for 5 years | $106,794 | $92,121 |
| $1,500 a month for 10 years | $256,578 | $190,918 |
| $1,500 a month for 15 years | $466,657 | $299,529 |
| 20 years | $761,305 | $421,516 |
| $1,500 a month for 25 years | $1,174,563 | $560,978 |
| $1,500 a month for 30 years | $1,754,179 | $722,698 |
| $1,500 a month for 35 years | $2,567,120 | $912,312 |
| $1,500 a month for 40 years | $3,707,313 | $1,136,502 |
Other amounts for 20 years
$50 a month: $25,377, $100 a month: $50,754, $150 a month: $76,130, $200 a month: $101,507, $250 a month: $126,884, $300 a month: $152,261, $400 a month: $203,015, $500 a month: $253,768, $600 a month: $304,522, $750 a month: $380,652, $1,000 a month: $507,536, $2,000 a month: $1,015,073, $2,500 a month: $1,268,841, $3,000 a month: $1,522,609, $5,000 a month: $2,537,682.
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.