Finance Calculator (TVM)
A time-value-of-money calculator: find the future value of savings, or the monthly payment needed to reach a target amount.
Starting from $5,000.00 and adding $200.00/mo, this is the balance building year by year toward $41,872.85. Tap any bar to see that year's value.
About the Finance Calculator (TVM)
'Time value of money' is the finance-textbook name for a simple idea: a dollar today is worth more than a dollar later, because a dollar today can be invested and start growing. This calculator applies that idea two ways — projecting what a lump sum plus regular contributions grows into, or working backward from a savings goal to figure out what monthly contribution actually gets you there.
It's the same math behind retirement projections, education-fund planning, and any 'how much do I need to save per month' question — the kind of calculation that's easy to get roughly right in your head and easy to get precisely wrong, since compounding on the contributions themselves is not intuitive.
Your savings goal, your current balance, and how much you're setting aside stay on your device — nothing here is transmitted or stored anywhere.
How it’s calculated
Future value combines two growing pieces: your starting balance compounding on its own at FV = PV(1+r)ⁿ, plus a stream of monthly contributions compounding as they're added, using the annuity growth formula PMT × [((1+r)ⁿ−1)/r]. The two are added together for the total.
Solving for the required payment runs that same relationship backward: it subtracts what your starting balance alone will grow to from your target, then figures out the level monthly contribution that closes the remaining gap by the same target date.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need to save each month to hit a specific goal?
Switch to 'Payment Needed to Reach a Goal', enter your target future value, current savings, expected rate and timeframe — the calculator solves for the monthly contribution that gets your balance there by that date.
Does this calculator account for inflation?
No — the future value shown is in nominal dollars at your assumed growth rate, not adjusted for the falling purchasing power of money over time. For that adjustment, run the result through the inflation calculator separately.
What's the difference between this and a compound interest calculator?
A basic compound interest calculator usually only grows a single lump sum. This one adds a recurring monthly contribution on top, which is closer to how most people actually save — an initial balance plus ongoing deposits.
What rate of return should I assume for a realistic projection?
That depends entirely on where the money sits — a savings account, bonds and a diversified stock portfolio have very different long-run return profiles and risk. Try a conservative and an optimistic rate side by side rather than trusting a single number.
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