$5,000 a month for 20 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $1,819,209 | $619,209 | $1,007,252 |
| 5% | $2,029,022 | $829,022 | $1,123,421 |
| 6% | $2,267,193 | $1,067,193 | $1,255,290 |
| 7% | $2,537,682 | $1,337,682 | $1,405,053 |
| 8% | $2,844,995 | $1,644,995 | $1,575,205 |
| 10% | $3,591,296 | $2,391,296 | $1,988,414 |
Year by year at 7%
| Year | Put in so far | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $60,000 | $61,901 | $60,099 |
| 2 | $120,000 | $128,136 | $120,781 |
| 3 | $180,000 | $199,007 | $182,120 |
| 4 | $240,000 | $274,839 | $244,191 |
| 5 | $300,000 | $355,979 | $307,071 |
| 6 | $360,000 | $442,799 | $370,837 |
| 7 | $420,000 | $535,697 | $435,570 |
| 8 | $480,000 | $635,097 | $501,351 |
| 9 | $540,000 | $741,455 | $568,264 |
| 10 | $600,000 | $855,259 | $636,393 |
| 11 | $660,000 | $977,028 | $705,826 |
| 12 | $720,000 | $1,107,322 | $776,653 |
| 13 | $780,000 | $1,246,736 | $848,966 |
| 14 | $840,000 | $1,395,909 | $922,860 |
| 15 | $900,000 | $1,555,524 | $998,432 |
| 16 | $960,000 | $1,726,312 | $1,075,781 |
| 17 | $1,020,000 | $1,909,055 | $1,155,010 |
| 18 | $1,080,000 | $2,104,591 | $1,236,225 |
| 19 | $1,140,000 | $2,313,813 | $1,319,535 |
| 20 | $1,200,000 | $2,537,682 | $1,405,053 |
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 $5,000 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 | $630,182 | $827,555 | $1,093,972 |
| 20 years | $1,531,822 | $2,370,193 | $3,763,847 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $2,537,682 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $2,537,682 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $2,537,682 pays about $101,507 a year, $8,459 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $56,202 a year. How long a balance near it lasts at each withdrawal: how long $2.5 million lasts. To stop saving early and let growth do the rest, see Coast FIRE numbers by age.
$60,000 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.
$5,000 a month for other terms
| Years | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| $5,000 a month for 5 years | $355,979 | $307,071 |
| $5,000 a month for 10 years | $855,259 | $636,393 |
| $5,000 a month for 15 years | $1,555,524 | $998,432 |
| 20 years | $2,537,682 | $1,405,053 |
| $5,000 a month for 25 years | $3,915,209 | $1,869,926 |
| $5,000 a month for 30 years | $5,847,263 | $2,408,995 |
| $5,000 a month for 35 years | $8,557,068 | $3,041,040 |
| $5,000 a month for 40 years | $12,357,710 | $3,788,341 |
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, $3,000 a month: $1,522,609.
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.