OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Future Value Calculator
Time Value of Money for Lump Sums and Regular Payments at Any Rate
OneTask is free, with no sign-up, and built by one person.
If this tool saved you time, a coffee helps keep new ones coming.
How the Future Value Calculator works
This future value calculator works out what money will be worth later, or what a later sum is worth today. Enter an amount, a rate, a number of years and the compounding frequency, add a regular payment if you have one, and switch between future value and present value.
Future value calculator formula
With a rate per period i and n periods, the future value calculator uses:
FV = amount × (1 + i)^n + payment × ((1 + i)^n − 1) ÷ i
Present value reverses it: PV = amount ÷ (1 + i)^n, minus the present value of any payments. The discount factor 1 ÷ (1 + i)^n is what one unit received in n periods is worth now.
Worked example: a lump sum
5,000 invested at 6% compounded annually for 10 years is worth 5,000 × 1.06^10 = 8,954.24. Switch to monthly compounding and the same rate gives slightly more, because interest starts earning interest sooner.
Worked example: payments and present value
1,000 now plus 100 a month at 5% compounded monthly for 10 years reaches 17,175.24 from 13,000 paid in. In the other direction, 20,000 due in 8 years at 5% has a present value of 13,536.79, a discount factor of 0.676839. The table shows how many times 1,000 multiplies at each rate.
Future value reference table
The future value of 1,000 compounded annually at rates from 1% to 25%, after 5, 10, 20 and 30 years.
| Rate | 5 years | 10 years | 20 years | 30 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1% | 1,051.01 | 1,104.62 | 1,220.19 | 1,347.85 |
| 2% | 1,104.08 | 1,218.99 | 1,485.95 | 1,811.36 |
| 3% | 1,159.27 | 1,343.92 | 1,806.11 | 2,427.26 |
| 4% | 1,216.65 | 1,480.24 | 2,191.12 | 3,243.40 |
| 5% | 1,276.28 | 1,628.89 | 2,653.30 | 4,321.94 |
| 6% | 1,338.23 | 1,790.85 | 3,207.14 | 5,743.49 |
| 7% | 1,402.55 | 1,967.15 | 3,869.68 | 7,612.26 |
| 8% | 1,469.33 | 2,158.92 | 4,660.96 | 10,062.66 |
| 9% | 1,538.62 | 2,367.36 | 5,604.41 | 13,267.68 |
| 10% | 1,610.51 | 2,593.74 | 6,727.50 | 17,449.40 |
| 11% | 1,685.06 | 2,839.42 | 8,062.31 | 22,892.30 |
| 12% | 1,762.34 | 3,105.85 | 9,646.29 | 29,959.92 |
| 13% | 1,842.44 | 3,394.57 | 11,523.09 | 39,115.90 |
| 14% | 1,925.41 | 3,707.22 | 13,743.49 | 50,950.16 |
| 15% | 2,011.36 | 4,045.56 | 16,366.54 | 66,211.77 |
| 16% | 2,100.34 | 4,411.44 | 19,460.76 | 85,849.88 |
| 17% | 2,192.45 | 4,806.83 | 23,105.60 | 111,064.65 |
| 18% | 2,287.76 | 5,233.84 | 27,393.03 | 143,370.64 |
| 19% | 2,386.35 | 5,694.68 | 32,429.42 | 184,675.31 |
| 20% | 2,488.32 | 6,191.74 | 38,337.60 | 237,376.31 |
| 21% | 2,593.74 | 6,727.50 | 45,259.26 | 304,481.64 |
| 22% | 2,702.71 | 7,304.63 | 53,357.64 | 389,757.89 |
| 23% | 2,815.31 | 7,925.95 | 62,820.62 | 497,912.86 |
| 24% | 2,931.63 | 8,594.43 | 73,864.15 | 634,819.93 |
| 25% | 3,051.76 | 9,313.23 | 86,736.17 | 807,793.57 |
Quick answers
- 1,000 at 7% for 10 years grows to 1,967.15.
- At 7.2% money roughly doubles every 10 years.
- Present value is always less than the future amount when the rate is positive.
- More frequent compounding gives a slightly higher future value.
- The payment is added once per compounding period.
FAQ
What is the time value of money?
It is the idea that money now is worth more than the same money later, because money now can be invested and earn a return. Future and present value are the two directions of the same calculation.
Which rate should I use for present value?
Use the return you could reasonably earn elsewhere with similar risk, often called the discount rate. For a safe payment, a savings or government bond rate fits. For a risky one, a higher rate is appropriate.
How often is the regular payment made?
Once per compounding period, at the end of the period. With monthly compounding the payment is monthly; with annual compounding it is yearly. Pick the compounding that matches how often you pay in.
What is the rule of 72?
Divide 72 by the annual rate to estimate how many years it takes money to double. At 6% it is about 12 years, and the exact answer from the formula is 11.9 years.
See also: all Investing tools, Pay, Bills, Property, Debt, Saving.
Related tools
Compound Interest Calculator
Growth on a balance, with regular contributions and the real rate.
NPV And IRR Calculator
Net present value, IRR, payback and profitability index.
Investment Calculator
Investment growth from a lump sum plus monthly contributions.
APR To APY Calculator
Convert APR to APY and back for any compounding frequency.
CAGR Calculator
Compound annual growth rate between two values over time.