What if I invest $200 a month for 20 years?
Investing as little as $200 a month can, if you do it consistently and invest wisely, turn into more than $150,000 in as soon as 20 years. If you keep contributing the same amount for another 20 years while generating the same average annual return on your investments, you could have more than $1.2 million.
If you were to invest $200 per month over the course of the next 30 years, that would equate to a total investment of $72,000. That's significant, but it's through the effects of compounding that would get your portfolio to a more than $1 million valuation.
| If you invest $100 a month for this many years... | ...this is how much you'll end up with. |
|---|---|
| 5 | $8,058.73 |
| 10 | $21,037.40 |
| 15 | $41,939.68 |
| 20 | $75,603.00 |
Those who are able to save a significant amount beyond their retirement account contributions may be able to generate $200 monthly in interest. “If you have $50,000 in a high-yield savings account offering 5% APY, that's $200 a month right there,” Henry says.
For example, it takes $1,400 per month to reach $1 million in 20 years. However if you can find 30 years to save, it only takes $475 per month to reach the same goal. This isn't easy, but finding the extra time may be easier than finding an extra $12,000 per year.
Investing as little as $200 a month can, if you do it consistently and invest wisely, turn into more than $150,000 in as soon as 20 years. If you keep contributing the same amount for another 20 years while generating the same average annual return on your investments, you could have more than $1.2 million.
Investing $1,000 a month for 20 years would leave you with around $687,306. The specific amount you end up with depends on your returns -- the S&P 500 has averaged 10% returns over the last 50 years. The more you invest (and the earlier), the more you can take advantage of compound growth.
Other personal financial advisors say that workers should invest between 6% and 10% of their monthly income. 1 If you make $2,000 a month, this target sets the goal of between $120 and $200 monthly.
On average, the stock market yields between an 8% to 12% annual return. Investing $100 per month, with an average return rate of 10%, will yield $200,000 after 30 years. Due to compound interest, your investment will yield $535,000 after 40 years.
Let's start with the obvious: If you're not contributing any money to retirement, even $50 per month will make a substantial difference. That monthly contribution could add up to nearly $24,600 after 20 years, $56,700 after 30 years, and $119,800 after 40 years. That's still not enough to retire on, but it's a start.
What if I invest $200 a month for 10 years?
How that works, in practice: Let's say you invest $200 every month for 10 years and earn a 6% average annual return. At the end of the 10-year period, you'll have $33,300. Of that amount, $24,200 is money you've contributed — those $200 monthly contributions — and $9,100 is interest you've earned on your investment.
So, what do you need to do to have $1 million after five years? If you have never invested before (you have zero balance in your investment account), you need to invest approximately $12,821 at the end of every month for the next five years.
To generate $500 a month in passive income you may need to invest between $83,333 and $250,000, depending on the asset and investment type you select. In addition to yield, you'll want to consider safety, liquidity and convenience when selecting the investments you'll employ to provide monthly passive income.
Getting out of debt, investing consistently for retirement, and getting your home paid off quickly are the three keys to going from zero to millionaire in two decades or less. That's the formula that has worked for thousands of millionaires all over the country—and it can work for you too!
| Rate of return | 10 years | 20 years |
|---|---|---|
| 4% | $72,000 | $178,700 |
| 6% | $79,000 | $220,700 |
| 8% | $86,900 | $274,600 |
| 10% | $95,600 | $343,700 |
Annual compounding results in slightly lower numbers, while monthly or weekly compounding results in higher numbers. At a 12% average return, it would take a monthly investment of around $4,350 to become a millionaire in 10 years.
But by depositing an additional $100 each month into your savings account, you'd end up with $29,648 after 10 years, when compounded daily. The interest would be $7,648 on total deposits of $22,000.
The table below shows the present value (PV) of $3,000 in 20 years for interest rates from 2% to 30%. As you will see, the future value of $3,000 over 20 years can range from $4,457.84 to $570,148.91.
| Discount Rate | Future Value | Present Value |
|---|---|---|
| 4% | $5,000 | $2,281.93 |
| 5% | $5,000 | $1,884.45 |
| 6% | $5,000 | $1,559.02 |
| 7% | $5,000 | $1,292.10 |
| Discount Rate | Present Value | Future Value |
|---|---|---|
| 5% | $1,000 | $2,653.30 |
| 6% | $1,000 | $3,207.14 |
| 7% | $1,000 | $3,869.68 |
| 8% | $1,000 | $4,660.96 |
How much money do I need to invest to make $3000 a month?
If the average dividend yield of your portfolio is 4%, you'd need a substantial investment to generate $3,000 per month. To be precise, you'd need an investment of $900,000. This is calculated as follows: $3,000 X 12 months = $36,000 per year.
For example, if you are able to commit to investing $500 a month in an S&P 500 index fund like the Vanguard 500 Fund (NYSEMKT: VOO), you'll eventually have $1 million, and that includes paying the 0.03% expense ratio in the ETF, meaning you'll pay 3 cents each year for every $100 you have invested in the index fund.
Yes, $800k provides a healthy nest egg that allows for annual withdrawals of around $32,000 from the age of 60 to 85, spanning 25 years. If $32,000 per year, or $2,667 per month, is sufficient to cover your retirement lifestyle, then $800k gives you an adequate buffer.
Retiring at 62 with $400,000 in a 401k is feasible but requires careful planning. Consider annuities, Social Security timing, and healthcare costs. Ensure your income streams cover your living expenses, accounting for inflation and emergencies.
Let's walk through the scenario. With $300,000 planned for your use as a retiree, a retirement age of 50, and an anticipated life expectancy of 85 years, you need that money to last you 35 years. This should mean that your yearly income is around $8,571, and your monthly payment is around $714.
