TimeValue

Future Value Calculator

Project what money in hand today will grow to, at a steady annual rate.

Present value

Annual growth rate

Years

Future value in 10 years

$17,908

What you entered

Present value: $10,000Annual growth rate: 6%Years: 10

1
Apply the future value formula
FV = PV × (1 + r)ⁿ = $10,000.00 × (1 + 0.0600)^10= $17,908.48

Result

Future value in 10 years: $17,908

$10,000 today grows to $17,908 in 10 years at a steady 6% annual return, compounding once per year.

Future value of $10,000 at common growth rates

Each cell is $10,000 grown at the annual rate in the column heading, compounded once a year with no further deposits: FV = PV x (1 + r)^n.

Years	At 3%	At 5%	At 7%	At 10%
1	$10,300	$10,500	$10,700	$11,000
3	$10,927	$11,576	$12,250	$13,310
5	$11,593	$12,763	$14,026	$16,105
10	$13,439	$16,289	$19,672	$25,937
15	$15,580	$20,789	$27,590	$41,772
20	$18,061	$26,533	$38,697	$67,275
25	$20,938	$33,864	$54,274	$108,347
30	$24,273	$43,219	$76,123	$174,494

This compounds annually. The compound interest calculator lets you choose monthly or daily compounding, which produces slightly higher figures at the same nominal rate. Scale freely: the numbers are linear in the starting amount, so $25,000 is simply 2.5 times each cell. Nothing is adjusted for inflation - at 3% inflation the 7% column is closer to 4% in real purchasing power, and the inflation calculator will show you what the ending balance is actually worth. Rates here are illustrative, and real returns arrive unevenly rather than as a smooth annual percentage.

Future value vs. present value

Future value answers 'what will this be worth later?' Present value answers the opposite question: 'what is a later amount worth today?' They're the same formula solved in different directions.

Choosing a rate

Use a conservative, realistic long-run return (historically ~5-7% for diversified stock portfolios after inflation) rather than an optimistic number — overestimating the rate is the most common projection mistake.

The power of time in the formula

FV = PV × (1+r)ⁿ grows exponentially because of the exponent n. $10,000 at 7% for 10 years = $19,672. For 20 years = $38,697. For 30 years = $76,123. The money didn't grow 3× in 3× the time — it grew 7.6× because compound growth accelerates. This is why starting early matters far more than saving slightly more later.

Frequently asked questions

What is the future value formula?

FV = PV × (1 + r)ⁿ. PV = present value (your investment today), r = annual rate of return as a decimal, n = number of years. Example: $25,000 invested at 8% for 15 years → FV = 25,000 × (1.08)¹⁵ = $79,304.

What rate of return should I use?

For stock market investments, 7% (after inflation) or 10% (before inflation) are common long-term estimates based on S&P 500 history. For savings accounts, use your actual APY (currently 4-5% for high-yield). For bonds, 3-5%. Always use the rate that matches your actual investment type.

How much will $10,000 be worth in 20 years?

At 7% annual return: $38,697. At 10%: $67,275. At 5%: $26,533. The rate makes a huge difference over long periods. Even a 1% difference in annual return changes the outcome by thousands over 20 years.