Calculate your inflation-adjusted (real) return and the purchasing power of your investment.
| Input | Result |
|---|---|
| 8% return, 3% inflation, 10 yrs, $10,000 | 4.85% real return · $16,064 in today's money |
| 7% return, 2.5% inflation, 20 yrs, $10,000 | 4.39% real return · $23,616 in today's money |
| 5% return, 4% inflation, 5 yrs, $10,000 | 0.96% real return · $10,490 in today's money |
Because a 5% gain during 4% inflation leaves only about 1% of extra purchasing power. Real return is what actually improves your standard of living.
It is a close approximation for low rates, but the exact formula divides (1 + nominal) by (1 + inflation), which is what this calculator uses.
No. To get your true net real return, subtract taxes and fund fees from the nominal return before entering it.
How this page is built and kept current. Written and fact-checked by the MoneyCalcsHub editorial team. We do not sell financial products and we accept no payment to change a result, the arithmetic on this page runs in your own browser from the numbers you type.
Official sources used on this page:
Source-dependent figures are reviewed when the cited issuer publishes an update. Worked examples show the formula applied to the listed inputs; interactive results are calculated in your browser.
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