Future Value Calculator

See what a lump sum invested today will grow to.

$10,000.00 invested today, growing at 6% for 10 years, will be worth $18,193.97.

Future Value

$18,193.97

Present Value

$10,000.00

Total Growth

$8,193.97

Balance

Estimates only, not financial, tax, or legal advice. See our Terms and Privacy Policy.

Future value answers the opposite question from present value: if you invest a lump sum today, what will it be worth at a later date? It's the simplest compounding calculation there is: one deposit, one growth rate, one point in the future.

This is the calculation behind "if I invest $X today, what will I have in Y years": the entry point for evaluating any single lump-sum investment decision.

How does this calculator work?

Enter the amount you're investing today, your expected annual rate of return, the number of years, and how often the rate compounds.

The calculator grows the present value forward using the standard compounding formula: FV = PV × (1 + rate)^periods.

The engine behind the result is compound growth: each period's earnings are added to the balance and then earn returns of their own, so the total curves upward rather than rising in a straight line. Compounding more frequently, monthly instead of annually, lifts the effective yearly growth slightly, because interest begins earning interest sooner. That is also why the outcome is so sensitive to the rate and the horizon, and why time invested usually matters more than the size of the opening deposit.

The same relationship can be run in reverse. If you already know the balance you are aiming for, you can solve instead for the annual return it would take or the number of years required to reach it. And when the money goes in as a stream of equal deposits rather than a single lump sum, its growth follows the math of an annuity instead.

Worked example

You invest $10,000 today at an expected 6% annual return, compounded monthly, for 10 years.

Present value: $10,000
Monthly rate: 0.50%
Periods: 120 months
Future value: $18,193.97

How the numbers work

Compounding $10,000 monthly at 6% annually for 10 years grows it to $18,193.97, an $8,193.97 gain, all from compound growth with no additional contributions.

Because compounding happens monthly rather than annually, the effective growth is slightly higher than a simple 6%-per-year calculation would suggest, since each month's interest itself starts earning interest sooner.

Future value calculations are extremely sensitive to both the rate and the time horizon. Small differences in either compound dramatically over long periods, which is why starting early matters more than the exact contribution amount for long horizons.

Future Value Calculator glossary

Future Value (FV): What an amount of money invested today will grow to by a future date, given a rate of return.
Compound Growth: Growth where each period's return is calculated on the full balance, including previously earned returns: the source of exponential, rather than linear, growth over time.
Compounding Frequency: How often the growth rate is applied within a year. More frequent compounding produces a slightly higher future value for the same nominal annual rate.

Future Value Calculator FAQs

Does this include ongoing contributions?+

No. This calculator handles a single lump sum invested once. Use the Future Value of an Annuity Calculator if you're also making regular periodic contributions.

Why does monthly compounding produce a higher result than annual compounding at the same rate?+

Because interest is credited more often, each month's earnings start compounding sooner. The same 6% annual rate compounded monthly yields a slightly higher effective annual return than 6% compounded just once a year.

What rate of return should I assume?+

Use a realistic, conservative estimate based on the type of investment. A savings account, bond, or stock portfolio all carry very different expected returns and risk levels. Historical long-run stock market averages are often cited around 7-10% nominal, but actual results vary significantly year to year.