Tools & Resources

Compound Interest Calculator

If I invest $500 a month for 25 years, what do I end up with? See the real numbers — and why starting early is the most important financial decision you can make.

Your Investment Plan

Starting Amount (Lump Sum)

What you're investing today. Can be $0.

Monthly Contribution

Expected Annual Return

Historical average for a balanced Canadian portfolio: 5–8%. Use 7% as a conservative starting point for long-term equity funds.

Investment Period

years

Compounding Frequency

Your Results

Final Value

Total Contributed

Growth (Interest Earned)

Return on Contributions

Year-by-Year Growth

Year	Age (if starting at 30)	Total Contributed	Balance	Interest Earned

Return Rate Benchmarks

High-interest savings (HISA): ~4–5% right now. Safe, liquid. Good for emergency funds and short-term saving.
Conservative balanced fund: ~4–6% long-term. Mix of bonds and equities.
Broad market index fund: ~7–10% long-term before inflation. The S&P 500 has averaged ~10%. Canadian market somewhat lower.
After inflation (real return): Subtract ~2–3% from nominal returns. A 7% nominal return is roughly 4–5% real over time.

The Rule of 72

Divide 72 by your annual return rate to see how long your money takes to double. At 7%: 72 ÷ 7 = ~10 years. At 10%: ~7.2 years.

Where to invest

In Canada: start with TFSA for flexibility, then RRSP if high income (the deduction is worth real money). FHSA if you're a first-time buyer — it's the best deal in Canadian tax law right now.

Not sure which? Use the RRSP vs TFSA tool →