Millionaire Timeline Calculator
Find out how many years of monthly investing it takes to reach $1,000,000 — or any target — from your current balance at an assumed return.
How it works
n = ln[(FV + PMT/i) ÷ (PV + PMT/i)] ÷ ln(1+i) · i = annual return ÷ 12 (n in months)
Reaching a big number is a race between how much you feed the account and how fast compounding multiplies it. Early on your contributions dominate; later, growth on the growing balance takes over and shortens the remaining distance dramatically. Small bumps to the monthly amount or the return shave years off the finish, because they act on every future period at once.
Worked example
From $25,000, adding $1,000 a month at 8% (0.667% monthly), the timeline solves to about 262 months — roughly 21 years 10 months. You will have contributed around $287,000; compounding supplies the remaining $713,000 to hit $1,000,000.
Frequently asked questions
Does the target have to be a million?
No. Enter any goal — $250,000, $2,000,000, a house deposit. The same formula finds the time to reach whatever amount you set, given your balance, monthly investing and assumed return.
Why can two similar plans finish years apart?
Compounding is exponential, so a one or two point difference in return, or a modest rise in the monthly amount, compounds across every remaining month. That is why the last stretch to a goal often arrives faster than the first.
What return should I assume?
A broad stock-market long-run average is often cited near 7–10% before inflation, but there is no guaranteed figure. Run the calculator at a few rates to see how sensitive your timeline is.
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Educational estimate, not investment advice. Markets involve risk of loss and future returns are never guaranteed.