№ 021 · Investing cluster
Investment Growth Calculator
A big future number is only half the story. Project a starting balance and contributions that grow each year, then see what it’s actually worth once inflation has its say — the nominal total and the same money in today’s dollars, together.
Inflation-adjusted
Just the raw compounding mechanics, without inflation? See the Compound Interest Calculator. Investing a lump sum versus over time? Try Lump Sum vs DCA. Measuring a trade you already made? Use the Stock Return Calculator. Just want what a past dollar is worth today? The Inflation Calculator. Saving in the most tax-efficient account? The HSA Calculator.
Starting point01
$
$
%
Growth & inflation02
%
%
yr
Future value · 25 years
$589,357.82
≈ $281,480.58 in today’s dollars
1.23× your money, after inflation$228,755.59 contributed
Total contributed$228,755.59
Total growth$360,602.24
Lost to inflation$307,877.24
In today’s dollars$281,480.58
- Balance$589,357.82
- Today's $$281,480.58
- Contributed$228,755.58
| Year 1 | balance $16,919.19, today's dollars $16,426.40, contributed $16,000.00 |
|---|---|
| Year 2 | balance $24,524.46, today's dollars $23,116.66, contributed $22,180.00 |
| Year 3 | balance $32,870.99, today's dollars $30,081.61, contributed $28,545.40 |
| Year 4 | balance $42,018.09, today's dollars $37,332.53, contributed $35,101.76 |
| Year 5 | balance $52,029.56, today's dollars $44,881.16, contributed $41,854.81 |
| Year 6 | balance $62,973.99, today's dollars $52,739.72, contributed $48,810.45 |
| Year 7 | balance $74,925.08, today's dollars $60,920.94, contributed $55,974.76 |
| Year 8 | balance $87,962.08, today's dollars $69,438.07, contributed $63,354.00 |
| Year 9 | balance $102,170.14, today's dollars $78,304.90, contributed $70,954.62 |
| Year 10 | balance $117,640.78, today's dollars $87,535.79, contributed $78,783.26 |
| Year 11 | balance $134,472.34, today's dollars $97,145.68, contributed $86,846.76 |
| Year 12 | balance $152,770.48, today's dollars $107,150.14, contributed $95,152.16 |
| Year 13 | balance $172,648.70, today's dollars $117,565.36, contributed $103,706.73 |
| Year 14 | balance $194,228.95, today's dollars $128,408.22, contributed $112,517.93 |
| Year 15 | balance $217,642.23, today's dollars $139,696.27, contributed $121,593.47 |
| Year 16 | balance $243,029.23, today's dollars $151,447.78, contributed $130,941.27 |
| Year 17 | balance $270,541.06, today's dollars $163,681.79, contributed $140,569.51 |
| Year 18 | balance $300,340.02, today's dollars $176,418.11, contributed $150,486.60 |
| Year 19 | balance $332,600.40, today's dollars $189,677.36, contributed $160,701.20 |
| Year 20 | balance $367,509.35, today's dollars $203,481.01, contributed $171,222.24 |
| Year 21 | balance $405,267.82, today's dollars $217,851.42, contributed $182,058.91 |
| Year 22 | balance $446,091.59, today's dollars $232,811.86, contributed $193,220.68 |
| Year 23 | balance $490,212.33, today's dollars $248,386.54, contributed $204,717.30 |
| Year 24 | balance $537,878.74, today's dollars $264,600.70, contributed $216,558.82 |
| Year 25 | balance $589,357.82, today's dollars $281,480.58, contributed $228,755.58 |
Year by year
| Year | Contributed | Balance | Today’s $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $16,000.00 | $16,919.19 | $16,426.40 |
| 2 | $22,180.00 | $24,524.46 | $23,116.66 |
| 3 | $28,545.40 | $32,870.99 | $30,081.61 |
| 4 | $35,101.76 | $42,018.09 | $37,332.53 |
| 5 | $41,854.81 | $52,029.56 | $44,881.16 |
| 6 | $48,810.45 | $62,973.99 | $52,739.72 |
| 7 | $55,974.76 | $74,925.08 | $60,920.94 |
| 8 | $63,354.00 | $87,962.08 | $69,438.07 |
| 9 | $70,954.62 | $102,170.14 | $78,304.90 |
| 10 | $78,783.26 | $117,640.78 | $87,535.79 |
| 11 | $86,846.76 | $134,472.34 | $97,145.68 |
| 12 | $95,152.16 | $152,770.48 | $107,150.14 |
| 13 | $103,706.73 | $172,648.70 | $117,565.36 |
| 14 | $112,517.93 | $194,228.95 | $128,408.22 |
| 15 | $121,593.47 | $217,642.23 | $139,696.27 |
| 16 | $130,941.27 | $243,029.23 | $151,447.78 |
| 17 | $140,569.51 | $270,541.06 | $163,681.79 |
| 18 | $150,486.60 | $300,340.02 | $176,418.11 |
| 19 | $160,701.20 | $332,600.40 | $189,677.36 |
| 20 | $171,222.24 | $367,509.35 | $203,481.01 |
| 21 | $182,058.91 | $405,267.82 | $217,851.42 |
| 22 | $193,220.68 | $446,091.59 | $232,811.86 |
| 23 | $204,717.30 | $490,212.33 | $248,386.54 |
| 24 | $216,558.82 | $537,878.74 | $264,600.70 |
| 25 | $228,755.58 | $589,357.82 | $281,480.58 |
How it works · methodology
The math, in the open.
nominal balance: compounds monthly at the nominal return; each month's contribution is added at the end of the month and stepped up once a year today's dollars = nominal balance ÷ (1 + inflation)^t real return (Fisher) = (1 + nominal) ÷ (1 + inflation) − 1
- P
- Initial amount
- PMT
- Monthly contribution (year 1)
- g
- Annual contribution raise
- r
- Nominal annual return
- i
- Inflation rate
- t
- Years
Assumptions & limits
- The balance compounds monthly; contributions are added at the end of each month and raised once a year by your "annual raise".
- Real (today’s-dollar) values deflate the nominal balance by the inflation index — not a flat rate subtraction — so future contributions are valued correctly.
- The real return follows the Fisher relation (1+r)/(1+i) − 1, slightly below r − i.
- Taxes, fees, and sequence-of-returns risk are not modeled; rates are held constant.
- An estimate for education, not a promise of returns.
By the MintNumber Editorial Team·Reviewed
Frequently asked
Questions about real returns
What’s the difference between real and nominal returns?
Nominal is the headline number — what your account statement shows, before inflation. Real is what that money can actually buy, measured in today’s dollars. A $1,000,000 portfolio in 25 years sounds life-changing, but at 3% inflation it buys what about $478,000 buys today. This calculator shows both side by side.
How does inflation change what my investments are worth?
Inflation steadily erodes purchasing power, so a future dollar is worth less than a dollar today. We deflate your projected balance by the inflation rate each year to express it in today’s dollars — the "in today’s dollars" figure and the dotted "Today’s $" line on the chart.
Why do my contributions grow each year?
The "annual raise" input steps your monthly contribution up by that percentage every year, modeling how most people invest more as their income rises. Set it to 0% to keep contributions flat. Even a small annual raise compounds into a meaningfully larger result.
Isn’t 7% nominal minus 3% inflation just 4% real?
Close, but not exact. The real return follows the Fisher relation: (1 + 0.07) ÷ (1 + 0.03) − 1 = 3.8835%, a touch below 4%. We don’t just subtract the rates — we grow the balance nominally and then deflate it, which correctly handles contributions added in future years.
What return and inflation rate should I use?
A broad U.S. stock index has returned roughly 10% nominal (about 7% after inflation) over the long run, but any decade can differ sharply. Inflation has averaged 2–3% with the Fed targeting 2%. Use conservative numbers and treat the output as an estimate, not a promise.