$50 a month for 5 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $3,309 | $309 | $2,854 |
| 5% | $3,391 | $391 | $2,925 |
| 6% | $3,474 | $474 | $2,997 |
| 7% | $3,560 | $560 | $3,071 |
| 8% | $3,647 | $647 | $3,146 |
| 10% | $3,828 | $828 | $3,302 |
Year by year at 7%
| Year | Put in so far | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $600 | $619 | $601 |
| 2 | $1,200 | $1,281 | $1,208 |
| 3 | $1,800 | $1,990 | $1,821 |
| 4 | $2,400 | $2,748 | $2,442 |
| 5 | $3,000 | $3,560 | $3,071 |
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 $50 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 | $1,724 | $2,000 | $2,299 |
| 5 years | $2,904 | $3,507 | $4,270 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $3,560 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $3,560 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $3,560 pays about $142 a year, $12 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $123 a year. How long a balance near it lasts at each withdrawal: how long $100,000 lasts. To stop saving early and let growth do the rest, see Coast FIRE numbers by age.
$600 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.
$50 a month for other terms
| Years | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 5 years | $3,560 | $3,071 |
| $50 a month for 10 years | $8,553 | $6,364 |
| $50 a month for 15 years | $15,555 | $9,984 |
| $50 a month for 20 years | $25,377 | $14,051 |
| $50 a month for 25 years | $39,152 | $18,699 |
| $50 a month for 30 years | $58,473 | $24,090 |
| $50 a month for 35 years | $85,571 | $30,410 |
| $50 a month for 40 years | $123,577 | $37,883 |
Other amounts for 5 years
$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, $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.