Savings Calculator - NerdWallet (2024)

FAQs

How much does a $50,000 CD make in a year? ›

It's an easy way to calculate just how long it's going to take for your money to double. Just take the number 72 and divide it by the interest rate you hope to earn. That number gives you the approximate number of years it will take for your investment to double.

To reach $10,000 in one year, you'll need to save $833.33 each month. To break it down even further, you'll need to save $192.31 each week or $27.40 every day. These smaller chunks are much more realistic and simple to comprehend, making it easier to track your progress.

Most competitive money market accounts offer APYs between 1.6% and 1.8%. A 1.8% APY would mean you earn $9,074.62 in the first year after depositing $500,000.

Imagine you wish to amass $3000 monthly from your investments, amounting to $36,000 annually. If you park your funds in a savings account offering a 2% annual interest rate, you'd need to inject roughly $1.8 million into the account.

How much you earn on a $100,000 CD varies, depending on the APY. For example, if your CD has a 5% APY, you'd earn $5,000 after one year.

The formula for the rule of 72

This being a formula, it works in the opposite direction, too: You can figure the compound rate of return required to double your money in a certain time frame. For instance, to double your money in 10 years, the compound rate of return would have to be 7.2%.

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals. Let's take a closer look at each category.

Many retirees fall far short of that amount, but their savings may be supplemented with other forms of income. According to data from the BLS, average 2022 incomes after taxes were as follows for older households: 65-74 years: $63,187 per year or $5,266 per month. 75 and older: $47,928 per year or $3,994 per month.

What is the $27.40 rule? ›

Instead of thinking about saving $10,000 in a year, try focusing on saving $27.40 per day – what's also known as the “27.40 rule” because $27.40 multiplied by 365 equals $10,001. If you break this down into savings per day, week, and month, here's what you're looking at in terms of numbers: Per day: $27. Per week: $192.

In most cases $300,000 is simply not enough money on which to retire early. If you retire at age 60, you will have to live on your $15,000 drawdown and nothing more. This is close to the $12,760 poverty line for an individual and translates into a monthly income of about $1,250 per month.

Once you have $1 million in assets, you can look seriously at living entirely off the returns of a portfolio. After all, the S&P 500 alone averages 10% returns per year. Setting aside taxes and down-year investment portfolio management, a $1 million index fund could provide $100,000 annually.

For example, if you deposit $500 in a five-year CD that earns a 5.15% APY, your balance by the end of five years will be $642.71, earning you $142.71 in interest. However, if the interest rate is 3.25%, your earnings will only be $586.71, a difference of $56 in interest earnings.

4.25% APY: If you invest your $50,000 in a CD or high-yield savings account with a 4.25% interest rate, you will earn $2,125 in interest in one year. 4.5% APY: A 4.5% CD or high-yield savings account will yield $2,250 in interest on your $50,000 investment in one year.

"Someone saving for a house down payment may put $50,000 into a CD, whereas someone just using it for a portion of their emergency savings may only put $10,000." Knowing your end goal for the money also helps you avoid early withdrawal penalties, which many CDs come with.