$600 a month for 5 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $39,707 | $3,707 | $34,252 |
| 5% | $40,688 | $4,688 | $35,098 |
| 6% | $41,691 | $5,691 | $35,963 |
| 7% | $42,718 | $6,718 | $36,849 |
| 8% | $43,767 | $7,767 | $37,754 |
| 10% | $45,937 | $9,937 | $39,625 |
Year by year at 7%
| Year | Put in so far | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $7,200 | $7,428 | $7,212 |
| 2 | $14,400 | $15,376 | $14,494 |
| 3 | $21,600 | $23,881 | $21,854 |
| 4 | $28,800 | $32,981 | $29,303 |
| 5 | $36,000 | $42,718 | $36,849 |
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 $600 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 | $20,682 | $23,997 | $27,587 |
| 5 years | $34,848 | $42,090 | $51,240 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $42,718 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $42,718 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $42,718 pays about $1,709 a year, $142 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $1,474 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.
$7,200 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.
$600 a month for other terms
| Years | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 5 years | $42,718 | $36,849 |
| $600 a month for 10 years | $102,631 | $76,367 |
| $600 a month for 15 years | $186,663 | $119,812 |
| $600 a month for 20 years | $304,522 | $168,606 |
| $600 a month for 25 years | $469,825 | $224,391 |
| $600 a month for 30 years | $701,672 | $289,079 |
| $600 a month for 35 years | $1,026,848 | $364,925 |
| $600 a month for 40 years | $1,482,925 | $454,601 |
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, $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.