Future Value Calculator
Calculate the future value of a lump sum, regular contributions, or both.
Find what your savings will grow to with compound interest over time.
What Is Future Value?
Future Value (FV) is the value of a current asset at a specified date in the future, assuming a certain rate of growth. It is the core of the time value of money: a dollar today is worth more than a dollar tomorrow, because today’s dollar can be invested and earn returns.
Lump Sum Future Value
If you invest a single amount today (a lump sum):
FV = PV × (1 + r/n)^(n×t)
Where:
- PV = Present value (lump sum today)
- r = Annual interest rate (as a decimal)
- n = Compounding periods per year (12 for monthly, 4 for quarterly, 1 for annually)
- t = Time in years
Regular Contribution Future Value (Annuity)
If you make regular contributions (like a monthly savings deposit):
FV = PMT × [(1 + r/n)^(n×t) − 1] / (r/n)
Where PMT is the contribution per period.
Compounding Frequency Effect
More frequent compounding means more interest on interest:
| $10,000 at 6% for 10 years | Future Value |
|---|---|
| Annually | $17,908 |
| Quarterly | $18,140 |
| Monthly | $18,194 |
| Daily | $18,220 |
The difference between monthly and daily compounding is small, about $26 here. The difference between annually and monthly is $286, and it widens with both the rate and the term.
The Power of Starting Early
Starting 10 years earlier can more than double your final wealth. Consider:
- Investor A invests $500/month at 8% for 30 years → $745,180
- Investor B invests $500/month at 8% for 20 years → $294,510
Investor A ends up with 2.5× more by starting a decade earlier, and puts in only 50% more money to get there: $180,000 against $120,000. The extra decade contributes $60,000 of deposits and $390,670 of growth. Enter either set of numbers above with “Regular Contributions Only” selected and you get exactly these figures.
Real vs. Nominal Returns
These calculations show nominal (before-inflation) returns. To find the real return, subtract the expected inflation rate from your annual rate. For example, 7% nominal minus 3% inflation = 4% real annual return.
Milestone Checkpoints
This calculator shows your balance at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of your time horizon, so you can see the acceleration in the later years. The gap between the third quarter and the fourth is always the largest one on the list, and it is not close.
How we build and check this calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device. The math behind it is written by hand and tested against worked examples and standard references before the page goes live.
SuperGlobalCalculator is independently built and maintained. See how we build and verify our calculators.