$2,000 a month for 5 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $132,358 | $12,358 | $114,173 |
| 5% | $135,627 | $15,627 | $116,993 |
| 6% | $138,972 | $18,972 | $119,878 |
| 7% | $142,392 | $22,392 | $122,828 |
| 8% | $145,889 | $25,889 | $125,845 |
| 10% | $153,122 | $33,122 | $132,085 |
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 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | $68,941 | $79,990 | $91,958 |
| 5 years | $116,159 | $140,300 | $170,800 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $142,392 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $142,392 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $142,392 pays about $5,696 a year, $475 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $4,913 a year. How long a balance near it lasts at each withdrawal: how long $150,000 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| $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 5 years
$50 a month: $3,560, $100 a month: $7,120, $150 a month: $10,679, $200 a month: $14,239, $250 a month: $17,799, $300 a month: $21,359, $400 a month: $28,478, $500 a month: $35,598, $600 a month: $42,718, $750 a month: $53,397, $1,000 a month: $71,196, $1,500 a month: $106,794, $2,500 a month: $177,990, $3,000 a month: $213,588, $5,000 a month: $355,979.
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.