Future Value Calculator

Future value (FV) answers the question every saver and investor asks: how much will this be worth later? This calculator works out the future value of money you have today plus any regular deposits, at any interest rate and compounding frequency. It also shows how much of the total comes from your own contributions and how much from interest.

How to use the future value calculator

1. Enter the amount you have today. Use 0 if you’re starting from nothing.
2. Enter any regular deposit and how often it happens.
3. Enter the interest rate per year and the number of years.
4. Choose whether deposits come at the end or start of each period.

The results show the future value, the growth of today’s amount, the value of the deposits, the total you put in and the interest earned.

The future value formulas

For a single amount invested today:

FV = PV × (1 + i)^n

For equal deposits at the end of each period (an ordinary annuity):

FV = PMT × ((1 + i)^n − 1) ÷ i

i is the rate per period (annual rate ÷ periods per year) and n is the number of periods. For deposits at the start of each period (an annuity due), multiply the annuity result by (1 + i).

Worked example

You have $10,000 and add $200 a month for 20 years at 7%, compounded monthly:

• $10,000 grows to 10,000 × (1 + 0.07/12)²⁴⁰ = $40,387.39.
• The deposits grow to $104,185.33.
• Future value: $144,572.72.
• You put in $58,000 in total ($10,000 + 240 × $200), so $86,572.72 is interest.

If you deposit at the start of each month, the total rises to $145,180.47.

Making future value work for you

• Start early. Time does more of the work than the rate. Doubling the years usually more than doubles the result.
• Automate deposits. Regular contributions add up faster than occasional large ones, and you never forget a month.
• Raise deposits with your income. Increasing the $200 a month by even a few percent each year adds tens of thousands over 20 years.
• Use a realistic rate. Savings accounts, bonds and stocks have very different long-run returns and risks.
• Think in today’s dollars. At 3% inflation, $144,573 in 20 years buys roughly what $80,000 buys now.

To work the other way, from a future amount back to today, use the present value calculator. To solve for a rate, a term or a payment, use the finance calculator.

Common mistakes

• Mixing periods. Monthly deposits need a monthly rate and the number of months.
• Ignoring fees and taxes. A 1% annual fee turns 7% into 6%, which cuts the 20-year result in the example by about 13%.
• Assuming steady returns. Investments go up and down. Future value with a fixed rate is a planning estimate, not a promise.
• Forgetting the starting balance. If you already have savings, enter them, or the result will be too low.

Last updated November 2, 2026 · By the ZTool team