Project what regular investing turns into over time — and see how much of the result is your own money versus growth.
$196,821 in today's money after inflation
You contributed $130,000
Solid line: balance. Dashed line: what you put in.
The striking thing about a long projection is not the final number but the split. Early on, almost all of the balance is money you contributed. Somewhere in the second decade growth overtakes contributions, and after that the line pulls away from the dashed one on its own.
The inflation-adjusted figure matters more than the headline. Most calculators quote the nominal balance, which flatters a 30-year projection considerably — at 2% inflation, money loses about 45% of its purchasing power over that span. The number in today's money is the one you can actually reason about.
A projection assumes a steady annual return, and no real portfolio delivers one. The same average arrived at through a different sequence of good and bad years produces a different result, especially once you are withdrawing. Use it to compare choices, not to predict a balance.
A number today is nice. Watching it grow month after month is what builds wealth. Track it free with Totala — no bank connections, your data stays yours.
No account needed to explore the demo.