Savings Goal Required Rate Calculator
Enter how much you have now, your target amount, and your time horizon to see the annual rate of return required to get there.
Savings Goal Required Rate Calculator
Works out the annual growth rate you'd need to turn a starting amount into a target amount by a chosen date.
This calculator works backward from a savings goal: given what you have now, what you want to end up with, and how long you have, it estimates the average annual growth rate needed to bridge the gap. It uses a straightforward linear approximation of the required return, which is a useful quick planning check — for a more precise compound-growth answer over long horizons, pair this with a compound interest calculator to fine-tune the rate.
Example
- With the default values shown above, this calculator returns: Required Annual Rate ≈ 12%.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a compound or simple growth rate?
This calculator estimates a simple (linear) average annual rate needed — it's a quick planning estimate, not a precise compound-interest solve; for exact compounding, the true required rate will be slightly lower than shown for longer horizons.
What if my target is lower than my current savings?
The result will simply be negative or zero, meaning you don't need any growth (or could even afford a loss) to reach that target.
Sources
- Standard formula, publicly documented method