Initial Investment
The starting amount establishes the base from which your investment projection begins.
INVESTMENT RETURN CALCULATOR
Estimate How Your Investments Could Grow
Estimate the potential value of an investment based on your starting amount, regular contributions, investment period and expected annual return. Compare different assumptions to understand your potential long-term investment growth.
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Initial Investment
02
Regular Contributions
03
Investment Growth
PROJECTED VALUE
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ESTIMATE
Potential investment growth
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CALCULATE YOUR POTENTIAL RETURN
Turn your investment assumptions into a clear projection
Enter your investment details below to estimate the potential future value of your portfolio and see how much of that value could come from investment growth.
INVESTMENT DETAILS
Enter your assumptions
$
Amount invested at the beginning
$
Amount added during each contribution period
years
How long the money remains invested
%
Assumed average annual investment return
%
Optional annual fee deducted from the projection
Please enter valid investment information.
This calculator provides an educational estimate. Investment returns are not guaranteed and actual results may differ because of market performance, taxes, fees and other factors.
INVESTMENT PROJECTION
Estimated Future Value
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Enter your information to calculate
Initial Investment
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Total Contributions
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Total Invested
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Investment Growth
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PROJECTED VALUE BREAKDOWN
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Initial
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Contributions
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Growth
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Important:
This calculator is for educational purposes only. It does not
constitute investment, tax or financial advice.
WHAT IS AN INVESTMENT RETURN CALCULATOR?
A simple way to understand potential investment growth
An investment return calculator estimates how an investment could grow over a selected period using assumptions such as the initial investment, ongoing contributions and expected annual return.
It can help you understand the relationship between the money you put into an investment and the potential growth generated by compounding over time.
Regular Contributions
Adding money consistently can increase the amount of capital available to compound over time.
Investment Return
The assumed annual return determines how quickly the investment projection compounds.
HOW TO USE THE CALCULATOR
Estimate your potential return in four simple steps
Use realistic assumptions and test more than one scenario to get a better understanding of how your investment strategy could behave.
Enter Your Starting Amount
Enter the amount you plan to invest initially. This becomes the starting balance for your projection.
Add Regular Contributions
Enter how much you expect to add and choose whether you contribute monthly, quarterly or annually.
Choose Your Time Period
Enter the number of years you expect the investment to remain invested.
Review the Projection
Review your projected future value, total contributions and estimated investment growth.
INVESTMENT RETURN FORMULA
How the investment growth calculation works
The projection uses compound growth to estimate how an initial investment and recurring contributions may grow over time.
FV = PV(1 + r)n
Recurring contributions are incorporated into the projection
throughout the investment period.
FV represents future value, PV represents the starting investment, r represents the assumed periodic return and n represents the number of periods.
FV
Estimated future investment value
PV
Initial investment amount
r
Expected investment return
n
Number of investment periods
COMPOUND GROWTH OVER TIME
THE POWER OF COMPOUNDING
Time can have a major impact on investment growth
Compound growth occurs when investment returns remain invested and can generate additional returns. Over longer periods, this effect can become increasingly important.
The actual performance of an investment is uncertain, but the calculator helps demonstrate how time, contributions and return assumptions interact.
Invest Consistently
Regular contributions can increase the amount of capital
working toward your long-term goals.
Give Investments Time
A longer investment period can provide more time for
potential compounding.
Review Your Assumptions
Testing different return and contribution scenarios can
provide a more balanced view of potential outcomes.
FACTORS THAT AFFECT INVESTMENT RETURNS
Your investment outcome depends on several variables
Investment growth is influenced by more than the return assumption. Contributions, time, fees and market performance can all affect the actual outcome.
Investment Amount
A larger starting investment provides more capital that may participate in potential investment growth.
Contribution Rate
Regular additions can increase the total amount invested and may accelerate portfolio growth over a long period.
Investment Period
The length of time money remains invested can significantly influence the effect of compounding.
Investment Return
Different return assumptions can produce substantially different projected future values.
Fees and Expenses
Investment fees can reduce the amount of money available to compound over the long term.
Market Volatility
Actual investments can fluctuate in value, and annual returns rarely follow a perfectly consistent pattern.
COMPARE INVESTMENT SCENARIOS
Test different assumptions before making financial decisions
One projection should not be treated as a prediction. Try different assumptions to see how changes in contribution levels, investment periods and return expectations affect the result.
Comparing scenarios can help you understand the sensitivity of your potential investment outcome to the assumptions you choose.
Increase Contributions
Compare the projected result when you increase your regular investment amount.
Invest for Longer
Explore how a longer investment period can affect potential compound growth.
Change Return Assumptions
Test different annual return assumptions instead of relying on a single projection.
Account for Fees
See how an annual investment fee can reduce the projected future value.
INVESTMENT PLANNING
Practical ways to think about investment returns
Focus on the Long Term
Short-term market movements can be unpredictable. A long-term investment plan can provide more time for compounding.
Contribute Consistently
Regular investing can help build your portfolio over time without requiring you to predict the best day to invest.
Understand Investment Risk
Potentially higher returns generally involve different levels of investment risk. Understand what you are investing in.
Review Fees
Even relatively small ongoing fees can affect long-term investment growth.
INVESTING & PERSONAL FINANCE
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INVESTMENT RETURN CALCULATOR FAQ
Questions about investment returns
An investment return calculator estimates the potential future value of an investment based on assumptions such as the starting amount, contributions, investment period and expected return.
Investment projections generally use compound growth to estimate how an initial amount and recurring contributions may grow over a selected period.
There is no guaranteed investment return. It can be useful to compare several reasonable assumptions rather than relying on a single expected return.
Yes. You can enter a regular contribution amount and choose monthly, quarterly or annual contributions to include them in the projection.
Yes. You can optionally enter an annual investment fee. The calculator subtracts the fee assumption from the annual return used in the projection.
No. The results are estimates based on the assumptions entered. Actual investment performance can vary because markets fluctuate and returns are not guaranteed.
PLAN YOUR INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Calculate Investment Return
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See how your investment could grow over time
Enter your investment assumptions and explore a potential future value based on your selected return and contribution strategy.