{"tool":{"slug":"savings-goal","name":"Savings goal calculator","version":"2026-08-22","canonicalUrl":"https://carlo.finance/tools/savings-goal?goal=11850&saved=2000&contribution=400","jsonUrl":"https://carlo.finance/tools/savings-goal.json?goal=11850&saved=2000&contribution=400","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":11850,"saved":2000,"months":36,"contribution":400,"rate":4},"result":{"requiredMonthly":251.31,"requiredMonthlyRounded":252,"alreadyFunded":false,"fundedInMonths":535,"monthlyRate":0.0033333333333333335,"growthFactor":1.1272718745179144,"savedGrown":2254.54,"gap":9595.46,"endBalance":11850,"endBalanceRounded":11876.3,"totalContributed":9047.21,"interestEarned":802.79,"months":36,"yourMonths":24,"yourMonthsExact":23.33,"yourBalance":17527.17,"yourGap":-5677.17,"yourMonthlyDelta":148.69,"yourMonthsDelta":-12,"horizons":[{"months":12,"monthly":799.23,"contributed":9590.72,"endBalance":11850,"interest":259.28},{"months":36,"monthly":251.31,"contributed":9047.21,"endBalance":11850,"interest":802.79},{"months":60,"monthly":141.9,"contributed":8514.16,"endBalance":11850,"interest":1335.84}],"yearly":[{"month":12,"year":1,"contributed":5015.74,"interest":137.39,"balance":5153.13},{"month":24,"year":2,"contributed":8031.47,"interest":403.24,"balance":8434.71},{"month":36,"year":3,"contributed":11047.21,"interest":802.79,"balance":11850}]},"drivers":[{"key":"months","label":"Months until you need it","step":12,"monthlyDelta":-68.41,"sentence":"Each 12 more months before the deadline cuts the monthly contribution by $68."},{"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":-5.47,"sentence":"Each point of assumed return cuts the monthly contribution by $5."}],"sensitivity":{"byMonths":[{"months":12,"monthly":799.23,"contributed":9590.72,"interest":259.28},{"months":24,"monthly":388.24,"contributed":9317.65,"interest":532.35},{"months":36,"monthly":251.31,"contributed":9047.21,"interest":802.79},{"months":60,"monthly":141.9,"contributed":8514.16,"interest":1335.84},{"months":120,"monthly":60.23,"contributed":7227.18,"interest":2622.82}],"byRate":[{"rate":0,"monthly":273.61,"interest":0},{"rate":2,"monthly":262.38,"interest":404.34},{"rate":4,"monthly":251.31,"interest":802.79},{"rate":6,"monthly":240.41,"interest":1195.38},{"rate":8,"monthly":229.66,"interest":1582.12}]},"assumptions":[{"key":"goal","label":"Savings goal","value":11850,"unit":"usd","provided":true,"source":null},{"key":"saved","label":"Already saved","value":2000,"unit":"usd","provided":true,"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":400,"unit":"usd-per-month","provided":true,"source":null},{"key":"rate","label":"Annual return","value":4,"unit":"percent","provided":false,"source":null}],"sources":[],"warnings":[{"code":"ahead","message":"Your $400 a month is $149 more than the deadline needs. It gets you to $11,850 in 2 years rather than 3 years, and to $17,527 if you keep going to the original date."}],"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."}