$1,500 a month for 25 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $763,272 | $313,272 | $364,543 |
| 5% | $878,602 | $428,602 | $419,625 |
| 6% | $1,014,433 | $564,433 | $484,499 |
| 7% | $1,174,563 | $724,563 | $560,978 |
| 8% | $1,363,486 | $913,486 | $651,209 |
| 10% | $1,849,987 | $1,399,987 | $883,564 |
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 |
| 5 | $90,000 | $106,794 | $92,121 |
| 10 | $180,000 | $256,578 | $190,918 |
| 15 | $270,000 | $466,657 | $299,529 |
| 20 | $360,000 | $761,305 | $421,516 |
| 25 | $450,000 | $1,174,563 | $560,978 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 years | $257,931 | $361,417 | $506,336 |
| 25 years | $648,695 | $1,095,481 | $1,840,737 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $1,174,563 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $1,174,563 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $1,174,563 pays about $46,983 a year, $3,915 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $22,439 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.
$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 |
| $1,500 a month for 20 years | $761,305 | $421,516 |
| 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 25 years
$50 a month: $39,152, $100 a month: $78,304, $150 a month: $117,456, $200 a month: $156,608, $250 a month: $195,760, $300 a month: $234,913, $400 a month: $313,217, $500 a month: $391,521, $600 a month: $469,825, $750 a month: $587,281, $1,000 a month: $783,042, $2,000 a month: $1,566,084, $2,500 a month: $1,957,605, $3,000 a month: $2,349,126, $5,000 a month: $3,915,209.
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.