What-If · projection
What happens if I invest $1,000 a month for 30 years?
At $1,000 a month, the contributions themselves become substantial — $360,000 over 30 years — so this scenario is as much about how much you put in as what it compounds to. Both figures, real and nominal, are shown.
At a 7% nominal return and 2.5% inflation, $1k a month for 30 years grows to about $582k in today's dollars — $1.22M nominal — on $360k contributed. These are illustrative assumptions, not a prediction or recommendation.
Year by year (default assumptions)
| Year | Today's dollars | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | $0 | $0 |
| 4 | $50,017 | $55,209 |
| 8 | $105,219 | $128,199 |
| 12 | $167,073 | $224,695 |
| 16 | $237,297 | $352,268 |
| 20 | $317,906 | $520,927 |
| 24 | $411,285 | $743,902 |
| 28 | $520,256 | $1,038,688 |
| 30 | $581,612 | $1,219,971 |
Assumptions & method
7% nominal annual return, 2.5% inflation (≈4.4% real). Conservative, illustrative, and editable — not a forecast.
Full defaults, sources, and the engine logic are on the methodology page.
Reviewed by Sam, Richify's What-If Strategist · Last reviewed 2026-06-30
Frequently asked questions
- How much of the projection is my own money?
- At $1,000/month for 30 years you contribute $360,000. The total above includes that plus modelled growth, so the contribution share is large in early years and shrinks as compounding takes over.
- Is a higher monthly amount better than a longer horizon?
- They interact: a large monthly amount over a short horizon leans on contributions; a smaller amount over a long horizon leans on compounding. The calculator lets you weigh the two directly.
- Why show today's dollars?
- A six- or seven-figure nominal balance decades out is partly an inflation illusion. The inflation-adjusted figure shows what it would actually buy.
- Are these assumptions optimistic?
- They're deliberately conservative — 7% nominal, 2.5% inflation, documented on the methodology page. Lower them if you prefer; the projection updates.
Try your own numbers with Sam
Sam explains the math of any scenario you set — no advice, just the projection.
Educational projection only — not financial advice, a forecast, or a recommendation. Results are the arithmetic of the assumptions you set; real returns vary. Figures shown in both today's dollars and nominal terms.
