Wealth Projection Calculator

Wealth projection calculator for future value, contributions, and inflation-adjusted growth

A wealth projection is a structured estimate of how your money could grow over time. This calculator projects a future balance using a starting amount, a contribution plan, and an expected average annual return. It also lets you include common real-world factors like investment fees, contributions that increase each year, and inflation so you can see both a nominal total and a more realistic “today’s money” value.

Most people want the answer to one practical question: “If I keep saving and investing like this, where could I end up?” The output is not a guarantee and it is not financial advice. It is a planning tool that translates a few assumptions into a clear projection you can compare across scenarios. Small changes in return, fees, and time have large impacts, so use this calculator to stress-test ranges rather than betting everything on a single number.

To use it, start simple. Enter your starting balance (what you already have), your regular contribution (what you plan to add), how long you will keep contributing, and the annual return you think is reasonable. If you do not know fees, leave them blank and the calculator assumes 0%. If you do not know inflation, leave it blank and the calculator shows nominal results only. If you want a more realistic plan, add a conservative inflation estimate and a modest fee estimate because those two inputs often explain why real outcomes differ from optimistic projections.

Assumptions and how to use this calculator

• Returns are modeled as a steady average rate, not as volatile year-by-year market movement.
• Fees are treated as a simple annual drag on returns, which approximates fund and platform costs.
• Contributions are assumed to happen consistently (monthly or annually) and increase once per year if you set an annual increase.
• Inflation adjustment converts the final nominal balance into “today’s money” using a constant annual inflation rate.
• Taxes, withdrawals during the period, and account-specific rules are not included unless you model them indirectly by using a lower net return.

Common questions

Why does a small change in return or time change the final value so much?

Compounding is exponential. Returns earn returns, and the effect accelerates over time. Two scenarios that look similar at year 5 can diverge dramatically by year 20. That is why long horizons and consistent contributions tend to matter more than trying to perfectly time markets.

What return should I enter if I am not sure?

Use a range. Try a conservative case (lower return), a base case (your best estimate), and an optimistic case (higher return). If you do not know where to start, pick a number that is plausible after fees and inflation, then check whether the result still makes sense if the return is 2 percentage points lower.

How do fees affect the projection?

Fees reduce your effective growth rate. A 1% annual fee may not look big, but over decades it can remove a meaningful portion of the final value. If you are comparing products or platforms, the fee input is the cleanest way to see the long-run impact.

What does “inflation-adjusted” mean in practice?

It answers: “What would that future amount be worth in today’s purchasing power?” If inflation is 4% per year, then money in 20 years buys less than money today. The inflation-adjusted value is usually the more useful planning number for long-term goals.

What if I do not know my exact contributions or they might change?

Use the annual contribution increase input as a rough model of raises or planned step-ups. If your contributions are irregular, use an average amount and then run a second scenario that is 20% lower to see your downside case.