Savings Goal Calculator
Find the monthly contribution needed to hit a savings goal, given a starting balance, time horizon, and expected return.
Inputs
About Savings Goal Calculator
Math behind it
The future-value formula for an annuity: FV = PMT × ((1+i)n − 1) ÷ i. Solving for PMT gives the monthly contribution needed to bridge the gap between your starting balance’s growth and the goal.
Picking an expected return
Enter a nominal return and leave the inflation adjustment to the inflation field. Long-term US stocks: ~10% nominal. Diversified mixes: 5-8% nominal. Cash-equivalent goals: 1-4%. Conservatism matters — overestimating return underestimates the contribution needed. If you prefer to work in already-inflation-adjusted terms, enter a real return and set inflation to 0 so nothing is deducted twice.
Nominal vs. real (today's dollars)
A goal written in plain dollars quietly shrinks while you save for it: $1,000,000 thirty years out, with 3% inflation, buys roughly what $412,000 buys now. The "Value in today's dollars" tile shows what your entered goal will actually be worth. Turn on "Show real (today's dollars)" and the calculator flips the question around — it grosses the goal up so it still has today's buying power, and the monthly contribution rises to match. The dashed line on the balance chart tracks the real value of your balance year by year.
What if I can’t afford the monthly?
Three levers: increase the time horizon, lower the goal, or accept more risk (and a higher expected return). Stretching the horizon is usually the lowest-risk choice.