$3,000 a month for 5 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $198,537 | $18,537 | $171,260 |
| 5% | $203,441 | $23,441 | $175,490 |
| 6% | $208,457 | $28,457 | $179,817 |
| 7% | $213,588 | $33,588 | $184,243 |
| 8% | $218,834 | $38,834 | $188,768 |
| 10% | $229,684 | $49,684 | $198,127 |
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 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | $103,411 | $119,985 | $137,937 |
| 5 years | $174,239 | $210,450 | $256,200 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $213,588 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $213,588 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $213,588 pays about $8,544 a year, $712 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $7,370 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.
$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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| $3,000 a month for 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 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, $2,000 a month: $142,392, $2,500 a month: $177,990, $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.