Future Value Calculator
Project what a starting balance plus equal yearly contributions will grow to at a fixed annual return, for savings, investments or retirement accounts.
Last updated: October 2026
Future value
47,304.41 $
Formula below · 3 sources (investor.gov, ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub, accountingtools.com) · Updated Oct 2026
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About this calculator
Future value is what money will be worth later once it has earned compound returns. The calculator adds two standard formulas.
Starting amount: PV × (1 + r)^n
Yearly contributions (an ordinary annuity, paid at the end of each year): PMT × ((1 + r)^n − 1) ÷ r
Here PV is the starting amount, PMT the yearly contribution, r the annual return as a decimal and n the number of years. At a 0% return the contributions simply add up to PMT × n.
With the defaults, $10,000 at 7% for 10 years grows to 10,000 × 1.07¹⁰ = $19,671.51, and $2,000 a year grows to 2,000 × (1.07¹⁰ − 1) ÷ 0.07 = $27,632.90. The future value is $47,304.41, of which $30,000 is money you put in and $17,304.41 is growth.
The result assumes the same return every year and no taxes or fees. Real investment returns vary from year to year, so treat the figure as a projection, not a promise. It is also in future dollars: to see what it is worth in today's money, use a return net of inflation or divide the result by (1 + inflation)^n. This is an estimate, not financial advice.
| Annual return | 5 years | 10 years | 20 years | 30 years | 40 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3% | $5,309 | $11,464 | $26,870 | $47,575 | $75,401 |
| 5% | $5,526 | $12,578 | $33,066 | $66,439 | $120,800 |
| 7% | $5,751 | $13,816 | $40,995 | $94,461 | $199,635 |
| 9% | $5,985 | $15,193 | $51,160 | $136,308 | $337,882 |
How to use
Enter what you have now, the yearly return you expect, the number of years, and how much you will add at the end of each year. Leave the contribution at 0 to grow a single lump sum. Example 1: $10,000 now plus $2,000 a year at 7% for 10 years gives $47,304.41. Example 2: nothing now and $6,000 a year at 6% for 30 years. FV = 6,000 × (1.06³⁰ − 1) ÷ 0.06 = $474,349.12. You put in $180,000, and the rest is compound growth. At 2.5% inflation that sum is worth about 474,349 ÷ 1.025³⁰ ≈ $226,142 in today's dollars.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between present value and future value?
Future value grows money forward: multiply by (1 + r)^n. Present value discounts a future amount back to today: divide by (1 + r)^n. They are the same equation solved in opposite directions.
Are contributions made at the start or end of the year?
At the end of each year, which is the standard ordinary annuity. If you contribute at the start of each year instead, multiply the contribution part by (1 + r), because each deposit grows for one extra year. Monthly contributions also end up slightly higher than one yearly deposit of the same total.
What rate of return should I use?
Use a rate that fits the investment: the APY for a savings account or CD, or a conservative long-run estimate for a stock or bond portfolio. Try a few rates, because a small change compounds a lot. At 5% for 30 years, $1,000 a year grows to about $66,439; at 7% it grows to about $94,461.
How do I adjust for inflation?
Either enter a real return (your expected return minus expected inflation) so the answer is in today's dollars, or divide the result by (1 + inflation)^n. Skipping this step makes long-range projections look much richer than they are.
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