$5,000 a month for 5 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $330,895 | $30,895 | $285,433 |
| 5% | $339,069 | $39,069 | $292,484 |
| 6% | $347,429 | $47,429 | $299,695 |
| 7% | $355,979 | $55,979 | $307,071 |
| 8% | $364,723 | $64,723 | $314,613 |
| 10% | $382,806 | $82,806 | $330,212 |
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 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | $172,352 | $199,975 | $229,894 |
| 5 years | $290,398 | $350,749 | $427,000 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $355,979 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $355,979 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $355,979 pays about $14,239 a year, $1,187 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $12,283 a year. How long a balance near it lasts at each withdrawal: how long $350,000 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 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 |
| $5,000 a month for 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 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, $3,000 a month: $213,588.
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.