Your investment details
$
$
yrs
%
Projected portfolio value
$0
after 15 years
Total contributed
$0
Total growth
$0
At −2% return
$0
At +2% return
$0
Portfolio growth over time
How it's calculated
FV = P(1+r)ⁿ + C × [ ((1+r)ⁿ − 1) / r ]
P = initial investment ·
C = monthly contribution ·
r = monthly rate of return (annual return ÷ 12) ·
n = total number of months in the horizon (years × 12)
Key concepts
The terms behind the numbers above, explained simply.
Definition
Returns generating further returns over time. The longer the horizon, the larger the share of the final value that comes from compounding rather than money you personally put in.
Definition
Spreading investments across different assets (stocks, bonds, sectors, geographies) so that a decline in any single holding has a smaller impact on your overall portfolio. This calculator models an overall assumed return and doesn't simulate specific asset allocations.
Definition
Generally, investments with higher expected long-run returns (like stocks) also carry higher short-term volatility/risk of loss than lower-return investments (like bonds or cash). The "risk profile" dropdown is a simplified stand-in for this trade-off, not a personalized risk assessment.
Definition
Investing a fixed amount on a regular schedule (e.g. monthly), regardless of market conditions — which means buying more shares when prices are low and fewer when prices are high, smoothing out the effect of timing the market. The "monthly contribution" input models this approach.
Definition
How long money stays invested before it's needed. Longer horizons generally allow for more aggressive risk profiles, since there's more time to recover from short-term downturns.
Not financial advice. Finistack calculators are educational tools that estimate outcomes based on the assumptions you enter. They're not financial, tax, or legal advice, and Finistack is not a bank, CPA, or certified financial adviser. Expected returns are simplified long-run assumptions by risk profile, not guarantees or predictions — actual investment returns are variable and can be negative in any given year.