Future Value Calculator

Future value calculator for savings and investment growth

This future value calculator helps you estimate how much money you could have in the future if you start with a lump sum and optionally add regular contributions. It is designed for normal, real-world use: you can enter what you know, leave what you do not, and still get a useful estimate.

Future value (often shortened to “FV”) is the value of money at a later date after it has grown by interest or investment returns. In everyday terms, it answers: “If I put money away now and let it grow, how much could it become after a certain number of years?” This is useful for planning goals like a deposit for a home, a retirement target, a child’s education fund, or an emergency fund that you want to build steadily.

To use the calculator, start with the “Initial amount” if you already have money invested today. Then add a “Regular contribution” if you plan to invest or save a fixed amount on a schedule (monthly is the most common). Enter your annual interest rate as a percentage, choose how long you plan to invest, and select a compounding frequency. The calculator will then estimate your future value and show additional breakdowns such as total contributions and total growth from interest.

Assumptions and how to use this calculator

• The interest rate is an estimate and may not be achieved every year, especially for market-based investments.
• Contributions are assumed to be the same amount each period and occur either at the end of the period (default) or the start (annuity due).
• Compounding is applied at the selected compounding frequency; when contribution frequency differs, the calculator converts the annual rate into an effective rate per contribution period.
• Taxes, fees, inflation, and account-specific rules are not included. These can materially change real-world outcomes.
• If you leave the initial amount or contribution blank, the calculator treats it as zero and still produces results based on what you provided.

Common questions

What is the difference between interest rate and compounding frequency?

The interest rate is the annual percentage growth you expect. Compounding frequency describes how often that growth is applied to your balance. For example, a nominal 12% rate compounded monthly applies a smaller rate each month, and those monthly gains also earn gains in later months. More frequent compounding usually increases future value slightly, all else equal, but the difference is often small compared with the effect of your rate, time horizon, and contributions.

What if I only have regular contributions and no starting amount?

That is common. Leave the initial amount blank (or enter 0) and enter your recurring contribution. The calculator will treat this like an annuity (a series of payments) and estimate the future value based on your rate and time horizon. The output will still show total contributions and interest earned so you can see how much of the ending value comes from your deposits versus growth.

What does “start of period” versus “end of period” mean?

End of period means you contribute at the end of each month or year, which is typical for contributions made after you get paid. Start of period means you contribute at the beginning of the month or year. Start-of-period contributions usually produce a higher future value because each contribution has slightly more time to grow.

How should I choose an interest rate if I am not sure?

If you do not have a specific product rate (like a fixed deposit), use a conservative estimate. Many people run two or three scenarios to understand the range of outcomes: a low, base, and optimistic rate. If your results change dramatically with small rate changes, your plan is sensitive to assumptions and you may want a larger contribution, a longer time horizon, or a more realistic target.

Why does the calculator show interest earned separately from contributions?

Separating contributions from interest helps you understand what is doing the work. If most of your future value comes from contributions, you are mainly relying on saving discipline. If a large portion comes from interest, time and compounding are doing more of the work. This is useful for goal-setting, because you can see whether increasing the monthly contribution or extending the time horizon has a bigger effect.