$250 a month for 25 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $127,212 | $52,212 | $60,757 |
| 5% | $146,434 | $71,434 | $69,938 |
| 6% | $169,072 | $94,072 | $80,750 |
| 7% | $195,760 | $120,760 | $93,496 |
| 8% | $227,248 | $152,248 | $108,535 |
| 10% | $308,331 | $233,331 | $147,261 |
Year by year at 7%
| Year | Put in so far | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3,000 | $3,095 | $3,005 |
| 2 | $6,000 | $6,407 | $6,039 |
| 3 | $9,000 | $9,950 | $9,106 |
| 5 | $15,000 | $17,799 | $15,354 |
| 10 | $30,000 | $42,763 | $31,820 |
| 15 | $45,000 | $77,776 | $49,922 |
| 20 | $60,000 | $126,884 | $70,253 |
| 25 | $75,000 | $195,760 | $93,496 |
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 $250 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 | $42,988 | $60,236 | $84,389 |
| 25 years | $108,116 | $182,580 | $306,789 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $195,760 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $195,760 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $195,760 pays about $7,830 a year, $653 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $3,740 a year. How long a balance near it lasts at each withdrawal: how long $200,000 lasts. To stop saving early and let growth do the rest, see Coast FIRE numbers by age.
$3,000 a year fits in an IRA, whose 2026 limit is $7,500 under 50. See contribution limits, the 401(k) calculator and the Roth IRA calculator.
$250 a month for other terms
| Years | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| $250 a month for 5 years | $17,799 | $15,354 |
| $250 a month for 10 years | $42,763 | $31,820 |
| $250 a month for 15 years | $77,776 | $49,922 |
| $250 a month for 20 years | $126,884 | $70,253 |
| 25 years | $195,760 | $93,496 |
| $250 a month for 30 years | $292,363 | $120,450 |
| $250 a month for 35 years | $427,853 | $152,052 |
| $250 a month for 40 years | $617,886 | $189,417 |
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, $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, $1,500 a month: $1,174,563, $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.