Future value calculator

This future value calculator shows what a starting amount plus regular contributions grows to at a given interest rate – or, the other way round, the present value: what a future sum is worth today. $10,000 plus $100 a month at 4% grows to 29,633.31 after 10 years.

Source: Microsoft Support – FV function (future value): equation with present value, payment and type 0/1. Updated: 30 September 2026.

What do you want to calculate?

Starting amount

Interest rate or discount rate

% p.a.

Term

years

Compounding and payments

Regular payment per period (optional)

Payment is made at

My ToolboxYour inputs are saved in this browser only.

Result

Future value: 29,633.31
Present value: –
Your total contributions: 22,000.00
Interest earned: 7,633.31
Sum of payments before discounting: –
Discount amount: –
Factor: Compounding factor: 1.490833
Effective annual rate: 4.07%
Calculation: 10,000.00 × 1.490833 + 100.00 × 147.249805 = 29,633.31
Year by year: Year Total contributions Total interest Value at year end
1 11,200.00 429.66 11,629.66
2 12,400.00 925.72 13,325.72
3 13,600.00 1,490.87 15,090.87
4 14,800.00 2,127.95 16,927.95
5 16,000.00 2,839.86 18,839.86
6 17,200.00 3,629.68 20,829.68
7 18,400.00 4,500.55 22,900.55
8 19,600.00 5,455.80 25,055.80
9 20,800.00 6,498.86 27,298.86
10 22,000.00 7,633.31 29,633.31

Year	Total contributions	Total interest	Value at year end
1	11,200.00	429.66	11,629.66
2	12,400.00	925.72	13,325.72
3	13,600.00	1,490.87	15,090.87
4	14,800.00	2,127.95	16,927.95
5	16,000.00	2,839.86	18,839.86
6	17,200.00	3,629.68	20,829.68
7	18,400.00	4,500.55	22,900.55
8	19,600.00	5,455.80	25,055.80
9	20,800.00	6,498.86	27,298.86
10	22,000.00	7,633.31	29,633.31

How it is calculated

Future value: the formula

Future value = starting amount × (1 + i)ⁿ + payment × ((1 + i)ⁿ − 1) ÷ i. Here i is the interest rate per period (annual rate ÷ periods per year) and n is the number of periods (years × periods per year). The first term is the starting amount compounded, the second is the future value of the regular payments.

10,000 at 4% for 10 years, compounded yearly: 14,802.44
5,000 at 5% for 20 years: 13,266.49
10,000 plus 100 a month at 4%, 10 years: 29,633.31 (of which 22,000 is your own money)

Present value: what a future sum is worth today

Present value = future amount ÷ (1 + i)ⁿ. This is called discounting: 10,000 in 10 years is worth 6,755.64 today at 4%, but only 6,139.13 at 5%. The higher the rate and the longer the term, the smaller the present value. Regular payments are discounted with the annuity factor (1 − (1 + i)⁻ⁿ) ÷ i: 100 a year for 10 years at 4% has a present value of 811.09.

Payment at the start or end of the period

Payments at the start of a period earn interest for one period longer – the annuity factor is multiplied by (1 + i). This matches the “type” argument of the Excel functions FV and PV.

What is it used for?

Future and present value make payments at different times comparable – for savings plans, settlements, pensions or investment decisions. For taxes, inflation and costs, look at your own case separately: this calculator is deliberately kept to the pure math.

Honest limits

The calculator assumes a constant interest rate and ignores taxes, fees and inflation. The result is a model calculation, not a forecast or investment advice.

Frequently asked questions

How do you calculate future value?

Starting amount × (1 + i)^n, plus for regular payments payment × ((1 + i)^n − 1) ÷ i. 10,000 at 4% for 10 years is 14,802.44.

What is the difference between future value and present value?

Future value says what an amount will be worth later; present value says what a future amount is worth today. The interest rate connects the two.

How do I calculate present value?

Divide the future amount by (1 + i)^n: 10,000 in 10 years at 4% gives 6,755.64.

Which interest rate should I use for present value?

The return you could earn on an alternative, or a rate that reflects the risk of the payment. There is no official figure, so it pays to compare several rates.

How do I calculate future value in Excel?

With the function FV(rate, nper, pmt, pv, type), for example =FV(4%/12, 120, −100, −10000). The result matches this calculator.

Sources and legal basis

As of: 30 September 2026