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Savings Goal Calculator

Work out what to save each month to reach a target — given what you have, how long you have, and what return you assume.

Your inputs

Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is sent anywhere.

$

The amount you want to have.

$

What you have today. Minimum 0.

%

An assumption, not a prediction.

years

Whole years, 1–100.

Your result

Save each month
$499
for 10 years to reach $100,000
You'd put in
$69,902
Projected total
$100,000

Assumes monthly deposits and monthly compounding at the assumed return. Educational estimate, not financial advice.

Path to your target

$0$25K$50K$75K$100KStartYear 5Year 10
Total contributed (hatched)Estimated growth (solid)
Year 10

Contributed $69,902 · Projected value $100,000 · Growth $30,098

Year-by-year breakdown

Year-by-year breakdown generated from the same calculation as the headline result and chart. Values rounded for display.
YearContributed to dateEst. growthProjected value
1$15,990$784$16,774
2$21,980$1,986$23,967
3$27,971$3,632$31,603
4$33,961$5,749$39,710
5$39,951$8,366$48,317
6$45,941$11,513$57,454
7$51,931$15,224$67,156
8$57,922$19,534$77,456
9$63,912$24,479$88,391
10$69,902$30,098$100,000

How it works

With monthly rate i over N months, current savings P grow to P(1+i)N. The monthly deposit C that covers the rest of the target solves:

C = (target − P(1+i)N) / (((1+i)N − 1) / i)

(With a 0% assumption, the gap simply divides by the number of months.)

A worked example

Target $100,000, $10,000 saved, 6% assumed return, 10 years: save $499 per month. You'd put in $69,902 toward a projected $100,000. Generated by the same engine as the live calculator above.

Limits

  • The return is an assumption — short goals should use 0%.
  • Excludes taxes, fees, and inflation.
  • Not personalized financial advice.

Frequently asked questions

How is the monthly amount calculated?

The calculator grows your current savings to the deadline, subtracts that from your target, then spreads the remainder over monthly deposits with assumed growth — the inverse of the compound interest calculation, using the same monthly convention.

What if I'm already on track?

If your current savings alone are projected to reach the target, the required monthly amount is $0. That's a good moment to consider raising the target — or starting a new goal.

Should I assume investment returns on short-term goals?

Be cautious. Money needed within a few years shouldn't depend on market growth — assume 0% for short goals so the plan works even if returns don't show up.

Is this financial advice?

No. It's an educational estimate from your own assumptions. See the disclaimer.