Without returns, divide the target by the months — 10,000 in 24 months needs 416.67 monthly. With a return, the future-value-of-annuity formula lowers the required deposit.
Estimates for information only — not financial advice. Actual terms, fees, and rates depend on your provider.
Set a target amount and a deadline in months, optionally add the annual return you expect from where the money sits, and the calculator shows the required monthly saving, your total deposits, and how much the return contributes.
Formula & methodology
With monthly rate i = annual% ÷ 1200 and n months: monthly = target × i ÷ ((1+i)ⁿ − 1); when i = 0 this reduces to target ÷ n. Deposits are assumed at each month's end with monthly compounding.
Worked examples
12,000 in 36 months at 6%/yr → i = 0.005, monthly ≈ 305.06 (you deposit ≈ 10,982; growth covers ≈ 1,018).
50,000 in 120 months at 4%/yr → monthly ≈ 339.56.
Limits
Real accounts compound on their own schedules, rates change, and returns on investments are not guaranteed — treat the result as a planning figure, not a promise. Inflation is not deducted; the target is in today's nominal terms.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a small return change the monthly amount so little on short goals?
Compounding needs time. Over a year or two the growth term is tiny, so the monthly figure stays close to target ÷ months; over a decade it becomes substantial.
Deposit at the start or the end of each month?
This calculator assumes end-of-month deposits (ordinary annuity). Depositing at the start earns one extra month per deposit and lowers the required amount slightly.
