See what $1,000/month invested every month for 20 years could grow to, with the 5%, 7% and 10% return scenarios, the compound-growth formula and a year-by-year chart.
| Annual return | Future value | Total growth |
|---|---|---|
| 5% | $411,034 | $171,034 |
| 7% | $520,927 | $280,927 |
| 10% | $759,369 | $519,369 |
FV = PMT × [ ((1 + i)n − 1) ÷ i ], where PMT = $1,000, i = monthly rate (7%/12), n = 240 months.
Investing $1,000/month every month for 20 years means contributing $240,000 of your own money. At a 7% average annual return — roughly the long-run average of a diversified stock-market index fund after inflation is set aside — compounding turns that into about $520,927. The difference, $280,927, is investment growth: returns earning further returns. The earlier and longer you invest, the larger that growth share becomes, which is why starting monthly contributions young is so powerful. These figures assume a constant return and reinvested earnings; real markets fluctuate year to year, and taxes and fees reduce net returns. Use them as a planning illustration, then model your own numbers in the full calculator. Past performance does not guarantee future results.