$5,000 for 25 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Multiple | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $13,329 | 2.7× | $6,366 |
| 5% | $16,932 | 3.4× | $8,087 |
| 6% | $21,459 | 4.3× | $10,249 |
| 7% | $27,137 | 5.4× | $12,961 |
| 8% | $34,242 | 6.8× | $16,354 |
| 10% | $54,174 | 10.8× | $25,874 |
Year by year at 7%
| Year | Put in so far | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5,000 | $5,350 | $5,194 |
| 2 | $5,000 | $5,725 | $5,396 |
| 3 | $5,000 | $6,125 | $5,605 |
| 5 | $5,000 | $7,013 | $6,049 |
| 10 | $5,000 | $9,836 | $7,319 |
| 15 | $5,000 | $13,795 | $8,855 |
| 20 | $5,000 | $19,348 | $10,713 |
| 25 | $5,000 | $27,137 | $12,961 |
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 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 years | $6,513 | $11,067 | $18,790 |
| 25 years | $10,665 | $22,974 | $47,175 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $27,137 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $27,137 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $27,137 pays about $1,085 a year, $90 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $518 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.
$5,000 for other terms
| Years | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| $5,000 for 5 years | $7,013 | $6,049 |
| $5,000 for 10 years | $9,836 | $7,319 |
| $5,000 for 15 years | $13,795 | $8,855 |
| $5,000 for 20 years | $19,348 | $10,713 |
| 25 years | $27,137 | $12,961 |
| $5,000 for 30 years | $38,061 | $15,681 |
| $5,000 for 40 years | $74,872 | $22,953 |
| $5,000 for 50 years | $147,285 | $33,597 |
Other amounts for 25 years
$1,000: $5,427, $10,000: $54,274, $20,000: $108,549, $25,000: $135,686, $50,000: $271,372, $100,000: $542,743, $200,000: $1,085,487, $250,000: $1,356,858, $500,000: $2,713,716, $1,000,000: $5,427,433, $2,000,000: $10,854,865.
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.