Future Value Calculator
Find out what a lump sum — or a lump sum plus a stream of periodic contributions — will grow to in the future, given an interest rate and time horizon.
Results from this calculator are estimates provided for general informational purposes only, based on formulas, rates, and standards commonly accepted as of 2026. Figures may differ slightly from other calculators or professional sources due to rounding methods, differing assumptions, or regional regulations, and rules may change over time. Always consult a qualified professional — such as a financial advisor, healthcare provider, or other relevant specialist — before making decisions based on these results.
Future Value
$50,969.84
Example
Investing $10,000 today and adding $200.00 every period at 6% annual interest (compounded monthly) grows to $50,969.84 after 10 years — $34,000 of that is your own contributions, and $16,969.84 is interest earned.
Present Value
$10,000
Total Contributions
$34,000
Interest Earned
$16,970
Future Value
$50,969.84
Total future value, split between your contributions and interest earned
- Contributions: $34,000
- Interest: $16,970
What is a Future Value Calculator?
A future value calculator answers the mirror-image question to present value: if you invest a sum of money today — and optionally keep adding to it — how much will it be worth at some point in the future, given a rate of return? Because interest compounds on top of interest, the growth is not linear: it accelerates the longer the money is left invested.
This calculator handles both a one-time lump sum and, optionally, a stream of equal periodic contributions (an ordinary annuity) — useful for projecting a savings account, a retirement contribution plan, a college fund, or any goal where you're investing now for a future target.
How the balance grows from present value today to future value
How Future Value Is Calculated
For a single present-value lump sum, future value compounds the starting amount forward by the growth factor over the number of periods:
For a stream of equal periodic contributions (an ordinary annuity), each contribution grows for a different number of remaining periods, which sums to:
- FV — future value (the balance at the end)
- PV — present value (the lump sum invested today)
- PMT — the periodic contribution amount
- r — interest rate per compounding period (annual rate ÷ periods per year)
- n — total number of compounding periods (years × periods per year)
Why Time Matters More Than the Rate
Because growth compounds, the number of years invested often matters more than small differences in the interest rate. $10,000 invested for 10 years at 7% grows to about $19,672 — but the same $10,000 invested for 30 years at the same 7% grows to about $76,123, nearly eight times the original amount. Starting early is one of the most powerful levers in any long-term investment plan.
The Power of Regular Contributions
Adding even a modest periodic contribution changes the growth trajectory dramatically over long horizons, because every contribution gets its own compounding runway. A $200 monthly contribution added to a $10,000 starting balance over 20 years at 7% roughly triples the final balance compared to the lump sum alone — this is the mechanism behind "pay yourself first" retirement and savings advice.
Compounding Frequency
Future value is also affected by how often the interest rate compounds. A 6% annual rate compounded monthly grows slightly faster than the same nominal 6% compounded annually, because interest is credited — and starts earning its own interest — more often. The difference is usually small at typical savings rates, but it grows with higher rates and longer time horizons.
Example — Your Current Inputs
Investing $10,000 today and adding $200.00 every period at 6% annual interest (compounded monthly) grows to $50,969.84 after 10 years — $34,000 of that is your own contributions, and $16,969.84 is interest earned.
Additional Example — Retirement Contributions
A 30-year-old starts with $5,000 and contributes $300 per month toward retirement at a 7% average annual return. By age 65 (35 years later), the account grows to roughly $588,000 — of which only about $131,000 came from the investor's own contributions. The remaining $457,000 is compounded investment growth, illustrating why starting decades before retirement matters so much more than the size of any single contribution.
About These Parameters
- Present Value
- The lump sum you are investing right now — your starting balance before any growth. Enter zero if you are only contributing periodic amounts with no initial deposit.
- Periodic Contribution
- Optional. If you plan to add equal amounts at the end of every compounding period (such as a monthly savings deposit or a payroll retirement contribution), enter the amount here to add its future value to the total.
- Interest Rate
- The annual rate of return you expect to earn — a savings account APY, a bond yield, or a long-run average market return, depending on what you are modeling.
- Number of Years & Compounding
- How long the money will grow, and how often the interest rate compounds within each year. Monthly compounding is the most common default for savings accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between future value and present value?
They're two directions of the same time-value-of-money calculation. Present value discounts a future amount back to today's dollars; future value grows a present amount forward to a future date. Given the same rate and time horizon, they are mathematical inverses of each other.
Does this calculator account for taxes or inflation?
No. This is a nominal future value calculation — it does not subtract taxes on interest or investment gains, and it does not adjust for inflation eroding purchasing power. To estimate real (inflation-adjusted) future value, use a rate reduced by expected inflation.
Why does a small rate difference matter so much over time?
Because growth compounds exponentially, not linearly — a higher rate doesn't just add a fixed amount each year, it multiplies an already-larger balance. Over decades, even a 1-2 percentage point difference in rate can change the final balance by tens of thousands of dollars.
Is the periodic contribution assumed at the start or end of each period?
This calculator assumes an ordinary annuity — contributions made at the end of each compounding period. If contributions instead happen at the start of each period (an annuity due), the future value would be slightly higher, since each contribution gets one extra period to grow.