Investing calculator
Editor
Set the target, money already invested, recurring contributions, and time horizon. The required return updates live so you can compare how timeline and deposits change the answer.
The default view keeps the goal, current balance, contribution plan, and timeline visible immediately, with advanced assumptions tucked away.
Goal
Use the amount you want the investment to reach in the future.
Current balance
Enter how much you already have invested toward this goal.
Contributions
Recurring contributions can reduce the return needed.
Timeline
Use the number of years between now and the goal date.
This calculator solves for the return needed to reach the goal under your entered assumptions. It is a planning estimate and does not predict actual market performance.
Results
Required annual return
7.87%
Current balance
$75,000
Total future contributions
$135,000
Required investment growth
$290,000
Contribution frequency
Monthly
Compounding assumption
Monthly
Contribution timing
End of period
Required return per compounding period
0.66%
Starting amount
$75,000
Future contributions
$135,000
Growth needed
$290,000
Goal amount
$500,000
Goal funded by deposits
42%
Goal funded by growth
58%
| Year | Ending balance | Cumulative contributions | Cumulative growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $90,455 | $9,000 | $6,455 |
| 2 | $107,171 | $18,000 | $14,171 |
| 3 | $125,252 | $27,000 | $23,252 |
| 4 | $144,808 | $36,000 | $33,808 |
| 5 | $165,962 | $45,000 | $45,962 |
| 6 | $188,842 | $54,000 | $59,842 |
| 7 | $213,590 | $63,000 | $75,590 |
| 8 | $240,358 | $72,000 | $93,358 |
| 9 | $269,311 | $81,000 | $113,311 |
| 10 | $300,628 | $90,000 | $135,628 |
| 11 | $334,502 | $99,000 | $160,502 |
| 12 | $371,141 | $108,000 | $188,141 |
| 13 | $410,771 | $117,000 | $218,771 |
| 14 | $453,636 | $126,000 | $252,636 |
| 15 | $500,000 | $135,000 | $290,000 |
How it works
A required return calculator solves for the annual investment return needed to reach a future goal. Instead of asking what your money might become at a chosen rate, it works backward from the target and tells you the return your plan would need.
The calculator starts with your current balance, adds recurring contributions on the schedule you choose, then iteratively solves for the annual return that brings the ending balance to the goal amount. The chart and yearly timeline are built from that same solved path.
Required return is the annual growth rate your investment would need under these assumptions to hit the goal on time. It is a planning number, not a prediction of what markets will deliver in reality.
Larger starting balances, more recurring contributions, and longer timelines generally reduce the return needed. Smaller deposits or a shorter deadline usually push the required return higher because the investment has less time or less capital to work with.
More time gives compounding more room to work, and larger contributions reduce how much of the goal must come from market growth. That is why extending the timeline or saving more often can materially change the return requirement.
The primary result is a nominal annual return, which means it is not reduced for inflation. If you add an inflation rate in advanced options, the calculator also shows the approximate real return for context so you can compare the target with today's purchasing power in mind.
It is a goal-based investing calculator that estimates the annual return needed for a current balance and contribution plan to reach a future target.
You project the starting balance forward, add recurring contributions over time, and solve for the annual return that makes the ending value equal the goal amount.
Usually yes. More contributions mean a larger share of the goal is coming from your own deposits, so the investment does not need to rely as heavily on growth.
A very high required return can be a sign that the target is ambitious for the timeline and contribution level entered. Adding more time, contributing more, or lowering the goal can reduce the return needed.
Nominal return is the standard headline result. Inflation-adjusted return can be useful when you want to think about what the goal means in real purchasing-power terms rather than future dollars.
No. It provides estimates based on steady assumptions, while real investment results depend on market performance, volatility, fees, taxes, and timing.
This required return calculator provides estimates only. Investment returns are not guaranteed, and actual results depend on market performance, fees, taxes, contribution timing, and many other variables. Use the tool for planning and comparison, not as personal financial advice or a promise of future outcomes.
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