$750 a month for 5 years at returns from 4% to 10%
| Return | Balance | Of which growth | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $49,634 | $4,634 | $42,815 |
| 5% | $50,860 | $5,860 | $43,873 |
| 6% | $52,114 | $7,114 | $44,954 |
| 7% | $53,397 | $8,397 | $46,061 |
| 8% | $54,708 | $9,708 | $47,192 |
| 10% | $57,421 | $12,421 | $49,532 |
Year by year at 7%
| Year | Put in so far | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $9,000 | $9,285 | $9,015 |
| 2 | $18,000 | $19,220 | $18,117 |
| 3 | $27,000 | $29,851 | $27,318 |
| 4 | $36,000 | $41,226 | $36,629 |
| 5 | $45,000 | $53,397 | $46,061 |
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 $750 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 | $25,853 | $29,996 | $34,484 |
| 5 years | $43,560 | $52,612 | $64,050 |
The middle of the simulation sits below the steady 7% figure of $53,397 because ups and downs cost compounding: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to get back.
What $53,397 would pay in retirement
At a 4% first-year withdrawal, $53,397 pays about $2,136 a year, $178 a month, before tax; in today’s dollars that is about $1,842 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.
$9,000 a year is more than the 2026 IRA limit of $7,500 but fits in a 401(k), 403(b) or TSP, whose limit is $24,500. See contribution limits, the 401(k) calculator and the Roth IRA calculator.
$750 a month for other terms
| Years | Balance | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 5 years | $53,397 | $46,061 |
| $750 a month for 10 years | $128,289 | $95,459 |
| $750 a month for 15 years | $233,329 | $149,765 |
| $750 a month for 20 years | $380,652 | $210,758 |
| $750 a month for 25 years | $587,281 | $280,489 |
| $750 a month for 30 years | $877,089 | $361,349 |
| $750 a month for 35 years | $1,283,560 | $456,156 |
| $750 a month for 40 years | $1,853,657 | $568,251 |
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, $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.