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 5% nominal return and 2.5% inflation, $1k a month for 30 years grows to about $397k in today's dollars — $832k nominal — on $360k contributed. These are illustrative assumptions, not a prediction or recommendation.
Year by year (default assumptions)
| Year | Today's dollars | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $11,979 | $12,279 |
| 5 | $60,107 | $68,006 |
| 9 | $108,934 | $136,043 |
| 13 | $158,946 | $219,109 |
| 17 | $210,647 | $320,525 |
| 21 | $264,555 | $444,342 |
| 25 | $321,212 | $595,510 |
| 29 | $381,190 | $780,070 |
| 30 | $396,773 | $832,259 |
Assumptions & method
5% nominal annual return, 2.5% inflation (≈2.4% 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 2026-07-01
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 — 5% 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.
