$500 a month for 5 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $33,090 | $3,090 | $28,543 |
| 5% | $33,907 | $3,907 | $29,248 |
| 6% | $34,743 | $4,743 | $29,970 |
| 7% | $35,598 | $5,598 | $30,707 |
| 8% | $36,472 | $6,472 | $31,461 |
| 10% | $38,281 | $8,281 | $33,021 |
Year by year at 7%
| Year | Put in so far | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6,000 | $6,190 | $6,010 |
| 2 | $12,000 | $12,814 | $12,078 |
| 3 | $18,000 | $19,901 | $18,212 |
| 4 | $24,000 | $27,484 | $24,419 |
| 5 | $30,000 | $35,598 | $30,707 |
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 $500 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 | $17,235 | $19,998 | $22,989 |
| 5 years | $29,040 | $35,075 | $42,700 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $35,598 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $35,598 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $35,598 pays about $1,424 a year, $119 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $1,228 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.
$6,000 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.
$500 a month for other terms
| Years | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 5 years | $35,598 | $30,707 |
| $500 a month for 10 years | $85,526 | $63,639 |
| $500 a month for 15 years | $155,552 | $99,843 |
| $500 a month for 20 years | $253,768 | $140,505 |
| $500 a month for 25 years | $391,521 | $186,993 |
| $500 a month for 30 years | $584,726 | $240,899 |
| $500 a month for 35 years | $855,707 | $304,104 |
| $500 a month for 40 years | $1,235,771 | $378,834 |
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, $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.