Future Value Calculator
Project what today's money grows into at a given rate and horizon.
Inputs
Set to 0 for lump-sum growth only.
Future Value
$91,881.93
Total Amount Invested
$46,000.00
Growth (Interest Earned)
$45,881.93
Effective Annual Rate (APY)
7.2290%
Growth Factor (×)
9.1882
FV ÷ starting amount — how many times your principal multiplied.
Step by step
Starting amount (PV)
= $10,000.00
Periodic rate
7% ÷ 12 periods/year
= 0.583333%
Growth of principal
$10,000.00 × (1 + 0.005833)^180
= $28,489.47
Future value of contributions
$200.00 × [(1+r)^n − 1] / r
= $63,392.46
Total future value
= $91,881.93
Effective annual yield (APY): 7.2290%
Year-by-year projection
| Year | Balance | Total Invested |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $13,201.42 | $12,400.00 |
| 2 | $16,634.27 | $14,800.00 |
| 3 | $20,315.28 | $17,200.00 |
| 4 | $24,262.39 | $19,600.00 |
| 5 | $28,494.83 | $22,000.00 |
| 6 | $33,033.24 | $24,400.00 |
| 7 | $37,899.74 | $26,800.00 |
| 8 | $43,118.03 | $29,200.00 |
| 9 | $48,713.55 | $31,600.00 |
| 10 | $54,713.58 | $34,000.00 |
How it works
Future value tells you what a sum of money — invested today at a given rate — will be worth after a specified period. Compounding means the interest itself earns interest, so growth is exponential rather than linear. More frequent compounding produces a slightly higher future value because you earn interest on interest sooner.
Formulas
Future value of a lump sum
FV = PV × (1 + r)^n
- PV
- Present value (starting amount)
- r
- Periodic rate (annual rate ÷ periods per year)
- n
- Total number of periods
Future value with periodic contributions
FV = PV × (1+r)^n + PMT × [(1+r)^n − 1] / r
- PMT
- Periodic contribution
- r
- Periodic rate
- n
- Total periods
Frequently Asked Questions
What growth rate should I assume for investments?
The US stock market has historically returned about 10% annually before inflation and about 7% after inflation. For a diversified portfolio, 6–8% is commonly used for long-term planning. Conservative projections use 4–5%. Always stress-test your plan at a lower rate.
Does the compounding frequency matter for investments?
For stock returns, compounding frequency doesn't apply in the traditional sense — returns reinvested depend on when dividends are paid and when you reinvest. For savings accounts and CDs, more frequent compounding gives a higher APY on the same nominal rate.
How does inflation affect my future value?
To find real (inflation-adjusted) future value, use the real return rate: real rate ≈ nominal rate − inflation rate. If you expect 7% nominal returns and 3% inflation, enter 4% as your growth rate. The result is in today's dollars.
What is the 'Rule of 72'?
A quick mental shortcut: divide 72 by the annual rate to estimate how many years it takes to double your money. At 7%, money doubles in about 72 ÷ 7 ≈ 10.3 years. This calculator gives the exact answer.