Meeting your long-term investment goal is dependent on a number of factors. This not only includes your investment capital and rate of return, but inflation, taxes and your time horizon. This calculator helps you sort through these factors and determine your bottom line. Click the "View Report" button for a detailed look at the results.
Investment returns Inputs: |
Annual Investment Returns |
The number of years you wish to analyze. This can be any number from one to one hundred.
This is the annually compounded rate of return you expect from your investments before taxes. The actual rate of return is largely dependent on the types of investments you select. The Standard & Poor's 500® (S&P 500®) for the 10 years ending December 31st 2024, had an annual compounded rate of return of 14.9%, including reinvestment of dividends. From January 1, 1970 to December 31st 2024, the average annual compounded rate of return for the S&P 500®, including reinvestment of dividends, was approximately 11.2% (source: www.spglobal.com). Since 1970, the highest 12-month return was 61% (June 1982 through June 1983). The lowest 12-month return was -43% (March 2008 to March 2009). Savings accounts at a financial institution pay less but carry significantly lower risk of loss of principal balances.
It is important to remember that these scenarios are hypothetical and that future rates of return can't be predicted with certainty and that investments that pay higher rates of return are generally subject to higher risk and volatility. The actual rate of return on investments can vary widely over time, especially for long-term investments. This includes the potential loss of principal on your investment. It is not possible to invest directly in an index and the compounded rate of return noted above does not reflect sales charges and other fees that investment funds and/or investment companies may charge.
Total you currently have invested that should be included in this analysis.
The amount you will contribute to your investments each period. If you check the box to adjust this amount for inflation, your annual investment will increase each year by the inflation rate.
How often you make contributions to your account. The options include weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually. This calculator assumes that you make your contributions at the beginning of each period.
This is what you expect for the average long-term inflation rate. A common measure of inflation in the U.S. is the Consumer Price Index (CPI). From 1925 through 2024 the CPI has a long-term average of 3.0% annually. Over the last 40 years the highest CPI recorded was 13.5% in 1980. For the 12 months ending October 31st 2024 the CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was 3.2% as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The percentage of your investment return you will pay in taxes. Your taxes are assumed to be payable annually, at the end of the year.
Check this box to increase your future investment amounts for inflation.
Check this box to show all totals after inflation. By choosing this option you will see the value of your investments in terms of purchasing power, if you had that amount available today.
Interest on an investment's interest, plus previous interest. The more frequently this occurs, the sooner your accumulated interest will generate additional interest. You should check with your financial institution to find out how often interest is being compounded on your particular investment.
Total after-tax return if your investment profit is compounded annually.
Total after-tax return if your investment profit is simple interest with no compounding.
Total you have invested. This includes your initial investment and all periodic investments.
Your investment's total ending value. If you have checked the box to show values after inflation, this amount is the total value of your investment in today's dollars. If this box is unchecked, it will show the actual value of the investment.
Information and interactive calculators are made available to you as self-help tools for your independent use and are not intended to provide investment advice. We cannot and do not guarantee their applicability or accuracy in regards to your individual circumstances. All examples are hypothetical and are for illustrative purposes. We encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding all personal finance issues. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index of 500 widely held stocks. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. The performance mentioned does not include fees and charges which would reduce an investor returns. While interest on municipal bonds is generally exempt from federal income tax, it may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax, or state or local taxes. Profits and losses on federally tax-exempt bonds may be subject to capital gains tax treatment. Fixed income risks include, but are not limited to, changes in interest rates, liquidity, credit quality, volatility, and duration.
Calculators are provided by an independent third party and are being made available to you as self-help tools for your independent use and are not intended to provide investment advice or be representative of actual results. We do not guarantee their applicability or accuracy in regards to your individual circumstances. The determinations made by these calculators should not be construed as guarantees or projections. Moreover, the reasonableness of certain information may change over time because of changes in tax law, investment trends and your personal circumstances. The information contained here is based on current law and has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but we do not guarantee its accuracy. Investment results can vary considerably depending on the type of securities involved, general market conditions and other factors. It is important that you periodically review and update your plans. Raymond James does not provide tax or legal advice. You should contact your tax or legal advisor concerning your particular situation. All investments carry a degree of risk, and past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Asset allocation and diversification do not guarantee a profit nor protect against loss.