— Investment
Investment Goal Calculator
Check whether your plan reaches your target — project a starting amount plus regular contributions forward and see it against your goal.
Projected balance in 10 years
$106,639.02
- Surplus over goal
- $6,639.02
- Goal reached in
- 9 yrs 6 mos
- Total contributed
- $70,000
- Investment growth
- $36,639.02
— Year by year
| Year | Opening | Contributions | Interest | Accrued Interest | Closing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $10,000 | $6,000 | $919.19 | $919.19 | $16,919.19 |
| 2 | $16,919.19 | $6,000 | $1,419.38 | $2,338.58 | $24,338.58 |
| 3 | $24,338.58 | $6,000 | $1,955.73 | $4,294.31 | $32,294.31 |
| 4 | $32,294.31 | $6,000 | $2,530.85 | $6,825.16 | $40,825.16 |
| 5 | $40,825.16 | $6,000 | $3,147.55 | $9,972.7 | $49,972.7 |
| 6 | $49,972.7 | $6,000 | $3,808.82 | $13,781.53 | $59,781.53 |
| 7 | $59,781.53 | $6,000 | $4,517.9 | $18,299.43 | $70,299.43 |
| 8 | $70,299.43 | $6,000 | $5,278.24 | $23,577.68 | $81,577.68 |
| 9 | $81,577.68 | $6,000 | $6,093.55 | $29,671.22 | $93,671.22 |
| 10 | $93,671.22 | $6,000 | $6,967.79 | $36,639.02 | $106,639.02 |
— Path to your goal
Download— How it works
Projected balance = PV(1 + i)^n + PMT · [((1 + i)^n − 1) ÷ i]; surplus = projected − goal
Are you on track?
This calculator runs your plan forward — a starting amount plus regular monthly contributions, growing at your expected return — and lays it against the goal you set. Instead of asking “what must I save?”, it asks “given what I am saving, do I get there?”.
The headline is the projected balance at the end of your timeframe; below it sits the surplus if you clear the goal, or the shortfall if you fall short, plus when the balance first crosses the target.
Worked example — goal $100,000; start $10,000, add $500 a month for 10 years at 7%: The plan projects to about $106,600 — a surplus of roughly $6,600. The balance first crosses $100,000 a little before the 10-year mark, so the goal is met with months to spare.
Reading the chart
The shaded area is your balance climbing over time; the dashed line is your goal; and the marker is the moment the trajectory crosses it. If the area finishes above the dashed line you have a surplus; if it ends below, the gap to the line is your shortfall.
It makes the trade-offs visible: nudge the contribution or the timeframe up and watch the curve meet the goal line sooner, or trim them and watch the marker slide past the end of your timeframe.
If you are falling short
A shortfall is not a verdict — it is a prompt to change one of three levers: save more each month, give the goal more time, or accept a different target. Small increases compound, so a modest bump to the monthly contribution often closes a surprisingly large gap over a long horizon.
To work the problem the other way — fixing the goal and solving for the exact contribution, return or time you need — use the Investment Calculator, which solves for whichever lever you leave blank.
— Reader questions
How is this different from the Investment Calculator?
The Investment Calculator solves backwards — fix a goal and it tells you the contribution, return or time needed. This one works forwards: you enter a complete plan and it shows whether that plan reaches the goal, by how much, and when. Use this to test a plan, and that to design one.
What return should I assume?
Use a rate that matches your investments. Broad stock markets have returned very roughly 7–10% a year before inflation over the long run; cash and bonds less. Try a cautious figure as well as an optimistic one to see the range of outcomes.
What does “Goal reached in” mean if it is longer than my timeframe?
It is when your plan would first hit the goal even if that is after your chosen timeframe — so you can see how much extra time would close a shortfall. If it is shorter than your timeframe, you reach the goal early.
Does it account for tax and inflation?
No — the projection is before tax and in nominal terms. For inflation-adjusted and after-tax figures, the Compound Interest calculator exposes those inputs; remember a goal set in today’s money will cost more in future money.