Road to $1 Million · Step One
THE FIRST $100K CALCULATOR
How long until you hit six figures? Enter your numbers and get the date — then compare it with how I did it.
Your numbers
$
$
% pa
Long-run sharemarket average is roughly 7–10% before inflation. Not guaranteed.
$
It defaults to the famous one. Change it if you’re chasing a different number.
You hit $100K in
—
The first $100K is the slowest — after that, compounding does more of the lifting every year. I documented every step of mine, from $5 of Starbucks stock to six figures, in THE FIRST $100K — the exact playbook.
The climb
Year-by-year detail
| Year | You put in (total) | Returns earned (total) | Balance |
|---|
The fine print, honestly. Returns are assumed steady — real markets lurch, dip and recover, so your actual path will be bumpier than this chart (mine was). The maths still holds over long periods, which is the whole point. Contributions are assumed monthly and the return compounds monthly. Inflation isn’t modelled: $100K in ten years buys less than $100K today, so if anything, start bigger and start sooner.
How to use this calculator
Enter what you have, what you can add monthly, and a return assumption. The calculator shows the date you hit your target, how much of it you contributed versus earned, and stars each quarter-milestone along the way.
Play with the monthly amount — it dominates early. The return barely matters in year one; the savings rate is everything until compounding takes over.
This is a tool only, and none of the information it produces is financial advice. Its accuracy is not guaranteed. Always check your own figures and get advice from your own financial professionals before making decisions.