$3,000 a month for 20 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $1,091,525 | $371,525 | $604,351 |
| 5% | $1,217,413 | $497,413 | $674,052 |
| 6% | $1,360,316 | $640,316 | $753,174 |
| 7% | $1,522,609 | $802,609 | $843,032 |
| 8% | $1,706,997 | $986,997 | $945,123 |
| 10% | $2,154,778 | $1,434,778 | $1,193,048 |
Year by year at 7%
| Year | Put in so far | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $36,000 | $37,141 | $36,059 |
| 2 | $72,000 | $76,882 | $72,468 |
| 3 | $108,000 | $119,404 | $109,272 |
| 4 | $144,000 | $164,903 | $146,515 |
| 5 | $180,000 | $213,588 | $184,243 |
| 6 | $216,000 | $265,680 | $222,502 |
| 7 | $252,000 | $321,418 | $261,342 |
| 8 | $288,000 | $381,058 | $300,811 |
| 9 | $324,000 | $444,873 | $340,958 |
| 10 | $360,000 | $513,155 | $381,836 |
| 11 | $396,000 | $586,217 | $423,496 |
| 12 | $432,000 | $664,393 | $465,992 |
| 13 | $468,000 | $748,041 | $509,380 |
| 14 | $504,000 | $837,545 | $553,716 |
| 15 | $540,000 | $933,314 | $599,059 |
| 16 | $576,000 | $1,035,787 | $645,468 |
| 17 | $612,000 | $1,145,433 | $693,006 |
| 18 | $648,000 | $1,262,754 | $741,735 |
| 19 | $684,000 | $1,388,288 | $791,721 |
| 20 | $720,000 | $1,522,609 | $843,032 |
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 $3,000 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 | $378,109 | $496,533 | $656,383 |
| 20 years | $919,093 | $1,422,116 | $2,258,308 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $1,522,609 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $1,522,609 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $1,522,609 pays about $60,904 a year, $5,075 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $33,721 a year. How long a balance near it lasts at each withdrawal: how long $1.5 million lasts. To stop saving early and let growth do the rest, see Coast FIRE numbers by age.
$36,000 a year is more than the 2026 401(k) limit of $24,500, so part of it would go to a taxable account or a spouse’s plan. See contribution limits, the 401(k) calculator and the Roth IRA calculator.
$3,000 a month for other terms
| Years | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| $3,000 a month for 5 years | $213,588 | $184,243 |
| $3,000 a month for 10 years | $513,155 | $381,836 |
| $3,000 a month for 15 years | $933,314 | $599,059 |
| 20 years | $1,522,609 | $843,032 |
| $3,000 a month for 25 years | $2,349,126 | $1,121,955 |
| $3,000 a month for 30 years | $3,508,358 | $1,445,397 |
| $3,000 a month for 35 years | $5,134,241 | $1,824,624 |
| $3,000 a month for 40 years | $7,414,626 | $2,273,004 |
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, $2,000 a month: $1,015,073, $2,500 a month: $1,268,841, $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.