Case 1
- Starting amount
- 10000
- Annual return rate
- 7%
- For how many years?
- 10
- Deposit each period
- 200
- How many periods a year?
- 12
54,713.58
Open with these valuesFuture Value Calculator
54,713.58
Result: 54,713.58Two things grow at once: the amount you start with, and the deposits you keep adding. Deposits are counted at the END of each period, and the annual rate is split across the periods — 7 % over twelve periods is twelve times 0.583 %, not one times 7 %.
The numbers at a glance
Held fixed: Starting amount 10,000.00, Annual return rate 7.000 %, For how many years? 10, Deposit each period 200.00.
| How many periods a year? | Result |
|---|---|
| 5 | 34,382.86 |
| 10 | 48,912.70 |
| 12Your value | 54,713.58 |
| 15 | 63,410.90 |
| 20 | 77,901.11 |
Worked examples
Case 2
- Starting amount
- 0
- Annual return rate
- 5%
- For how many years?
- 20
- Deposit each period
- 500
- How many periods a year?
- 12
205,516.83
Open with these valuesCase 3
- Starting amount
- 1000
- Annual return rate
- 10%
- For how many years?
- 3
- Deposit each period
- 0
- How many periods a year?
- 1
1,331.00
Open with these valuesHow it's calculated
FV = PV × (1 + r)^n + PMT × ((1 + r)^n − 1) ÷ r
- StepEnter what you have invested today, or 0 if you start from nothing.
- StepAdd the nominal annual rate and the horizon in years.
- StepEnter the deposit per period — 0 for a one-off investment.
- StepSet the periods per year: 12 monthly, 4 quarterly, 1 annually.
- ResultRead the projected balance at the end of the term.
What this number means
Deposits are counted at the end of the period
This is an ordinary annuity, the convention of the source formula. A deposit made at the start of each period earns one period more interest and would raise the ten-year projection from 54713.58 to 54915.51.
The annual rate is split across the periods
7 % at twelve periods a year is twelve times 0.583 %, not a single 7 %. The number of periods also sets how often you deposit.
Set the deposit to 0 for a one-off investment
With no deposit only the starting amount grows: 1000 at 10 % over three years is 1331. Set the starting amount to 0 instead to project a savings plan that begins from nothing.
The projection is a nominal figure
It adjusts for neither inflation nor taxes nor fees. Enter a real, inflation-adjusted rate to read the result in today's money.
Commonly misread
The rate I enter is what each period earns.
It is the nominal annual rate, which the calculator divides by the periods per year. At 7 % over twelve periods each month earns 0.583 %.
My plan pays at the start of the month, so this figure fits.
The formula counts deposits at the end, so the number here is the conservative one. A start-of-period plan reaching 54915.51 shows here as 54713.58.
The result tells me what the money will buy.
Only in today's money, and only if you entered a real rate. A nominal rate gives a nominal balance, with inflation, taxes and fees still ahead of it.
Reference table
| Start, rate, years, deposit, periods | Total paid in | Future value |
|---|---|---|
| 1000, 10, 3, 0, 1 | 1000 | 1331.00 |
| 10000, 7, 10, 200, 12 | 34000 | 54713.58 |
| 0, 5, 20, 500, 12 | 120000 | 205516.83 |
| 5000, 6, 15, 100, 12 | 23000 | 41352.34 |
| 10000, 0, 10, 100, 12 | 22000 | 22000.00 |
| 8000, 7, 0, 200, 12 | 8000 | 8000.00 |
Questions
What is future value?
Future value is what a sum of money will be worth at a later date, given a rate of return and how often it compounds. A sum invested today grows because it earns a return on both the principal and the interest already added. This calculator also includes regular contributions, so it projects a starting amount and ongoing deposits together.
How do I calculate future value with contributions?
Use FV = PV × (1 + r)^n + PMT × ((1 + r)^n − 1) ÷ r, where PV is the starting amount, PMT each deposit, r the periodic rate (annual rate ÷ periods per year) and n the number of periods. The first term grows the lump sum, the second grows the stream of deposits. For 10000 plus 200 a month at 7 % over ten years, that is 54713.58.
Are deposits counted at the start or the end of the period?
At the end — this is an ordinary annuity, the convention the source formula uses. A deposit made at the start of each period earns one extra period of interest, which raises the same ten-year projection from 54713.58 to 54915.51, about 0.4 % more. If your plan really pays at the start of the month, treat the figure here as the conservative one.
Does compounding frequency change the result?
Yes. More frequent compounding adds interest sooner, so twelve periods a year produce a slightly higher future value than one, at the same nominal rate. The frequency also sets how often you deposit, so 12 means twelve deposits a year rather than one.
What rate of return should I use?
Use a rate that reflects your investment. Cash savings might earn a few percent, while a diversified long-term stock portfolio has historically averaged around 6–8 % before inflation, with large year-to-year swings. Because a long horizon is very sensitive to the rate, run a conservative rate as well.
Does the future value account for inflation?
No — the result is a nominal figure and adjusts for neither inflation nor taxes nor fees. To approximate purchasing power, enter a real, inflation-adjusted rate of return instead of a nominal one. The result is then in today's money.
Sources and last check
Information, not financial advice.