$2,000 a month for 35 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $1,799,831 | $959,831 | $639,630 |
| 5% | $2,216,926 | $1,376,926 | $787,859 |
| 6% | $2,747,208 | $1,907,208 | $976,312 |
| 7% | $3,422,827 | $2,582,827 | $1,216,416 |
| 8% | $4,285,135 | $3,445,135 | $1,522,866 |
| 10% | $6,797,582 | $5,957,582 | $2,415,748 |
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 |
| 5 | $120,000 | $142,392 | $122,828 |
| 10 | $240,000 | $342,103 | $254,557 |
| 15 | $360,000 | $622,210 | $399,373 |
| 20 | $480,000 | $1,015,073 | $562,021 |
| 25 | $600,000 | $1,566,084 | $747,970 |
| 30 | $720,000 | $2,338,905 | $963,598 |
| 35 | $840,000 | $3,422,827 | $1,216,416 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 years | $528,702 | $792,322 | $1,223,497 |
| 35 years | $1,686,241 | $3,097,232 | $5,924,312 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $3,422,827 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $3,422,827 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $3,422,827 pays about $136,913 a year, $11,409 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $48,657 a year. How long a balance near it lasts at each withdrawal: how long $3 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 |
| $2,000 a month for 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 |
| 35 years | $3,422,827 | $1,216,416 |
| $2,000 a month for 40 years | $4,943,084 | $1,515,336 |
Other amounts for 35 years
$50 a month: $85,571, $100 a month: $171,141, $150 a month: $256,712, $200 a month: $342,283, $250 a month: $427,853, $300 a month: $513,424, $400 a month: $684,565, $500 a month: $855,707, $600 a month: $1,026,848, $750 a month: $1,283,560, $1,000 a month: $1,711,414, $1,500 a month: $2,567,120, $2,500 a month: $4,278,534, $3,000 a month: $5,134,241, $5,000 a month: $8,557,068.
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.