What is future value?

Future value (FV) is the worth of a current sum of money at a specific date in the future, assuming a given rate of growth. It accounts for both the principal and all accumulated compound interest.

What compounding frequency should I choose?

Choose the frequency that matches your actual account. Most savings accounts compound daily or monthly; bonds often compound semi-annually. More frequent compounding yields slightly higher returns for the same stated rate.

How are regular contributions handled?

Contributions are treated as an annuity. If paid at the end of each period (ordinary annuity) or at the start (annuity due), the calculator applies the correct annuity-future-value formula on top of the lump-sum growth.

Does this account for inflation?

No. Enter your real (inflation-adjusted) interest rate if you want results in today's dollars. For example, if nominal rate is 7% and inflation is 3%, use 4% as the rate.

What formula is used?

Lump sum: FV = PV × (1 + r/n)^(n×t). With contributions: FV adds PMT × [((1 + r/n)^(n×t) − 1) / (r/n)] × (1 + r/n) for annuity-due, or without the trailing factor for ordinary annuity.

Future Value Calculator

Enter your present value, interest rate, compounding frequency, and time period to see how much your investment grows.

Investment Details

Present Value (PV)

Annual Interest Rate

Compounding Frequency

Time Period (Years)

Optional: Regular Contributions

Contribution per compounding period

End of period Start of period

Future Value

Total Contributed

Total Interest

Principal Interest Earned

50% 50%

Year-by-Year Breakdown

Year	Balance	Interest This Year	Contributions

Fill in the details on the left and click Calculate.

Summary

The Future Value Calculator determines how much a lump-sum investment — or a series of regular contributions — will be worth after a chosen number of years. It applies the standard compound-interest formula, supporting annual, semi-annual, quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily compounding. Results include a year-by-year breakdown so you can see exactly how your balance grows over time.

How it works

Enter the starting amount (present value) you are investing today.
Set the annual interest rate as a percentage (e.g. 7 for 7%).
Choose how often interest compounds each year.
Enter the number of years the money stays invested.
Optionally add a regular contribution amount and whether it is paid at the start or end of each period.
The calculator instantly shows the future value, total interest earned, and a year-by-year growth table.

Use cases

Estimate how much a retirement account will be worth in 20 or 30 years.
Compare returns from different savings accounts with different compounding schedules.
Calculate the impact of adding monthly contributions to an existing investment.
Demonstrate the power of compound interest for financial education.
Project college-fund growth to see if current savings are on track.
Evaluate two investment scenarios side-by-side by running the calculator twice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-05-23 · Reviewed by Nham Vu