{"tool":{"slug":"savings-goal","name":"Savings goal calculator","version":"2026-08-22","canonicalUrl":"https://carlo.finance/tools/savings-goal","jsonUrl":"https://carlo.finance/tools/savings-goal.json","pageUrl":"https://carlo.finance/tools/savings-goal","parameters":[{"key":"goal","label":"Savings goal","unit":"usd","min":1,"max":100000000,"default":30000,"sourceId":null,"help":"The amount you want to have. State it in the dollars of the year you will spend it, not today's, if the thing you are buying keeps getting more expensive."},{"key":"saved","label":"Already saved","unit":"usd","min":0,"max":100000000,"default":5000,"sourceId":null,"help":"What is in the account today, earmarked for this goal. It grows at the same assumed rate, so it does more of the work than most people expect."},{"key":"months","label":"Months until you need it","unit":"months","min":1,"max":600,"default":36,"sourceId":null,"integer":true,"help":"How long from now until the money has to be there. 36 months is three years."},{"key":"contribution","label":"What you can actually save","unit":"usd-per-month","min":0,"max":1000000,"default":500,"sourceId":null,"help":"The amount you could really put aside each month. The calculator uses it to answer the question the other way round: at this contribution, when does the goal arrive?"},{"key":"rate","label":"Annual return","unit":"percent","min":0,"max":20,"default":4,"sourceId":null,"help":"The yearly growth you assume on the money while it waits, before tax and fees. This is your assumption, not a forecast; set it to zero for a plain cash plan."}]},"inputs":{"goal":30000,"saved":5000,"months":36,"contribution":500,"rate":4},"result":{"requiredMonthly":638.1,"requiredMonthlyRounded":639,"alreadyFunded":false,"fundedInMonths":539,"monthlyRate":0.0033333333333333335,"growthFactor":1.1272718745179144,"savedGrown":5636.36,"gap":24363.64,"endBalance":30000,"endBalanceRounded":30034.38,"totalContributed":22971.59,"interestEarned":2028.41,"months":36,"yourMonths":45,"yourMonthsExact":44.93,"yourBalance":24727.14,"yourGap":5272.86,"yourMonthlyDelta":-138.1,"yourMonthsDelta":9,"horizons":[{"months":12,"monthly":2028.75,"contributed":24344.97,"endBalance":30000,"interest":655.03},{"months":36,"monthly":638.1,"contributed":22971.59,"endBalance":30000,"interest":2028.41},{"months":60,"monthly":360.41,"contributed":21624.78,"endBalance":30000,"interest":3375.22}],"yearly":[{"month":12,"year":1,"contributed":12657.2,"interest":345.66,"balance":13002.86},{"month":24,"year":2,"contributed":20314.39,"interest":1017.37,"balance":21331.76},{"month":36,"year":3,"contributed":27971.59,"interest":2028.41,"balance":30000}]},"drivers":[{"key":"months","label":"Months until you need it","step":12,"monthlyDelta":-173.62,"sentence":"Each 12 more months before the deadline cuts the monthly contribution by $174."},{"key":"saved","label":"Already saved","step":1000,"monthlyDelta":-29.52,"sentence":"Each $1,000 already in the account cuts the monthly contribution by $30."},{"key":"goal","label":"Savings goal","step":1000,"monthlyDelta":26.19,"sentence":"Each $1,000 of goal adds $26 to the monthly contribution."},{"key":"rate","label":"Annual return","step":1,"monthlyDelta":-13.83,"sentence":"Each point of assumed return cuts the monthly contribution by $14."}],"sensitivity":{"byMonths":[{"months":12,"monthly":2028.75,"contributed":24344.97,"interest":655.03},{"months":24,"monthly":985.62,"contributed":23654.95,"interest":1345.05},{"months":36,"monthly":638.1,"contributed":22971.59,"interest":2028.41},{"months":60,"monthly":360.41,"contributed":21624.78,"interest":3375.22},{"months":120,"monthly":153.11,"contributed":18373.54,"interest":6626.46}],"byRate":[{"rate":0,"monthly":694.44,"interest":0},{"rate":2,"monthly":666.06,"interest":1021.68},{"rate":4,"monthly":638.1,"interest":2028.41},{"rate":6,"monthly":610.55,"interest":3020.26},{"rate":8,"monthly":583.41,"interest":3997.27}]},"assumptions":[{"key":"goal","label":"Savings goal","value":30000,"unit":"usd","provided":false,"source":null},{"key":"saved","label":"Already saved","value":5000,"unit":"usd","provided":false,"source":null},{"key":"months","label":"Months until you need it","value":36,"unit":"months","provided":false,"source":null},{"key":"contribution","label":"What you can actually save","value":500,"unit":"usd-per-month","provided":false,"source":null},{"key":"rate","label":"Annual return","value":4,"unit":"percent","provided":false,"source":null}],"sources":[],"warnings":[{"code":"behind","message":"Your $500 a month is $138 short of the $638 the deadline needs. On that plan you reach $24,727 by month 36, $5,273 short, and the goal lands in 3 years and 9 months instead, 9 months late."}],"disclaimer":"This solves a deterministic savings plan at a rate you choose. It is not a forecast or investment advice. Real returns vary and can be negative, tax on the interest sits outside the model, and the goal itself is stated in whatever dollars you typed."}