$1,000 for 20 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Multiple | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $2,191 | 2.2× | $1,213 |
| 5% | $2,653 | 2.7× | $1,469 |
| 6% | $3,207 | 3.2× | $1,776 |
| 7% | $3,870 | 3.9× | $2,143 |
| 8% | $4,661 | 4.7× | $2,581 |
| 10% | $6,727 | 6.7× | $3,725 |
Year by year at 7%
| Year | Put in so far | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,000 | $1,070 | $1,039 |
| 2 | $1,000 | $1,145 | $1,079 |
| 3 | $1,000 | $1,225 | $1,121 |
| 4 | $1,000 | $1,311 | $1,165 |
| 5 | $1,000 | $1,403 | $1,210 |
| 6 | $1,000 | $1,501 | $1,257 |
| 7 | $1,000 | $1,606 | $1,306 |
| 8 | $1,000 | $1,718 | $1,356 |
| 9 | $1,000 | $1,838 | $1,409 |
| 10 | $1,000 | $1,967 | $1,464 |
| 11 | $1,000 | $2,105 | $1,521 |
| 12 | $1,000 | $2,252 | $1,580 |
| 13 | $1,000 | $2,410 | $1,641 |
| 14 | $1,000 | $2,579 | $1,705 |
| 15 | $1,000 | $2,759 | $1,771 |
| 16 | $1,000 | $2,952 | $1,840 |
| 17 | $1,000 | $3,159 | $1,911 |
| 18 | $1,000 | $3,380 | $1,985 |
| 19 | $1,000 | $3,617 | $2,062 |
| 20 | $1,000 | $3,870 | $2,143 |
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 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 | $1,164 | $1,849 | $2,849 |
| 20 years | $1,740 | $3,337 | $6,418 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $3,870 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $3,870 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $3,870 pays about $155 a year, $13 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $86 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.
$1,000 for other terms
| Years | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| $1,000 for 5 years | $1,403 | $1,210 |
| $1,000 for 10 years | $1,967 | $1,464 |
| $1,000 for 15 years | $2,759 | $1,771 |
| 20 years | $3,870 | $2,143 |
| $1,000 for 25 years | $5,427 | $2,592 |
| $1,000 for 30 years | $7,612 | $3,136 |
| $1,000 for 40 years | $14,974 | $4,591 |
| $1,000 for 50 years | $29,457 | $6,719 |
Other amounts for 20 years
$5,000: $19,348, $10,000: $38,697, $20,000: $77,394, $25,000: $96,742, $50,000: $193,484, $100,000: $386,968, $200,000: $773,937, $250,000: $967,421, $500,000: $1,934,842, $1,000,000: $3,869,684, $2,000,000: $7,739,369.
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.