Interest Calculator

Calculate compound interest accumulation on an initial investment plus annual and monthly contributions, accounting for tax on interest income and inflation.

of each compounding period
years months

Simple vs. compound interest

Simple interest is charged only on the original principal, every period, in equal amounts. Compound interest is charged on the principal plus any interest already accumulated — meaning interest itself starts earning interest. Almost everything in the real world, from savings accounts to investment portfolios, uses compound interest.

Why compounding frequency matters

The more often interest compounds within a year — monthly instead of annually, say — the faster a balance grows, because each compounding period's interest starts earning its own interest sooner. The difference is small in year one but widens the longer the money stays invested.

Contributions made at the beginning of each period earn one extra period of interest compared to contributions made at the end — over many years, that difference compounds into a meaningfully larger ending balance.

Common questions

Why does the calculator ask for a tax rate?

Interest income from things like savings accounts, CDs, and taxable bonds is often taxed as ordinary income. Applying a tax rate here shows the real, after-tax growth of the balance rather than the gross figure.

What does the inflation-adjusted "buying power" figure mean?

It discounts the ending balance by the assumed inflation rate, showing what that future balance would actually be worth in today's purchasing power — leave inflation at 0% to see the raw, unadjusted ending balance instead.

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