Legacy & Inheritance Goal Calculator

How it works

Needed = goal − current × (1 + r)^n · Monthly = needed × r ÷ [(1 + r)^n − 1] · Real value = goal ÷ (1 + inflation)^years

Leaving a specific inheritance is just a savings goal with a long horizon, so the same future-value math applies: grow what you have set aside, then fund the gap with regular contributions. The twist is inflation — a $250,000 legacy decades from now buys far less than $250,000 today, so the calculator restates the goal in current purchasing power to keep the target honest. A long horizon and compounding do most of the heavy lifting, which is why funding a legacy early is so much cheaper than doing it late.

Worked example

To leave $250,000 in 25 years at a 6% return, a $20,000 set-aside grows to about $89,000, leaving roughly $161,000 to fund with around $232 a month. At 3% inflation, that $250,000 legacy is worth about $119,000 in today’s money.

Frequently asked questions