$2,000 a month for 20 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $727,683 | $247,683 | $402,901 |
| 5% | $811,609 | $331,609 | $449,368 |
| 6% | $906,877 | $426,877 | $502,116 |
| 7% | $1,015,073 | $535,073 | $562,021 |
| 8% | $1,137,998 | $657,998 | $630,082 |
| 10% | $1,436,518 | $956,518 | $795,365 |
Year by year at 7%
| Year | Put in so far | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $24,000 | $24,761 | $24,039 |
| 2 | $48,000 | $51,254 | $48,312 |
| 3 | $72,000 | $79,603 | $72,848 |
| 4 | $96,000 | $109,936 | $97,676 |
| 5 | $120,000 | $142,392 | $122,828 |
| 6 | $144,000 | $177,120 | $148,335 |
| 7 | $168,000 | $214,279 | $174,228 |
| 8 | $192,000 | $254,039 | $200,541 |
| 9 | $216,000 | $296,582 | $227,305 |
| 10 | $240,000 | $342,103 | $254,557 |
| 11 | $264,000 | $390,811 | $282,330 |
| 12 | $288,000 | $442,929 | $310,661 |
| 13 | $312,000 | $498,694 | $339,587 |
| 14 | $336,000 | $558,363 | $369,144 |
| 15 | $360,000 | $622,210 | $399,373 |
| 16 | $384,000 | $690,525 | $430,312 |
| 17 | $408,000 | $763,622 | $462,004 |
| 18 | $432,000 | $841,836 | $494,490 |
| 19 | $456,000 | $925,525 | $527,814 |
| 20 | $480,000 | $1,015,073 | $562,021 |
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 $2,000 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 years | $252,073 | $331,022 | $437,589 |
| 20 years | $612,729 | $948,077 | $1,505,539 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $1,015,073 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $1,015,073 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $1,015,073 pays about $40,603 a year, $3,384 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $22,481 a year. How long a balance near it lasts at each withdrawal: how long $1 million lasts. To stop saving early and let growth do the rest, see Coast FIRE numbers by age.
$24,000 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.
$2,000 a month for other terms
| Years | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| $2,000 a month for 5 years | $142,392 | $122,828 |
| $2,000 a month for 10 years | $342,103 | $254,557 |
| $2,000 a month for 15 years | $622,210 | $399,373 |
| 20 years | $1,015,073 | $562,021 |
| $2,000 a month for 25 years | $1,566,084 | $747,970 |
| $2,000 a month for 30 years | $2,338,905 | $963,598 |
| $2,000 a month for 35 years | $3,422,827 | $1,216,416 |
| $2,000 a month for 40 years | $4,943,084 | $1,515,336 |
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, $1,500 a month: $761,305, $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.