Saving $100k – $300k: Some Numbers & Charts

3 min read

Here are some numbers and charts to consider for anyone on the road to saving $100k – $300k. 

$0 to $100k

If you start with a net worth of $0 and save $5,000 per year, investment returns have a huge impact on how long it will take you to save $100k.

If you earn 1% annual returns, it will take just over 18 years to save $100k. Instead, if you earn 10% returns, it will only take 11 years.

Conversely, if you save $50,000 per year, investment returns hardly impact how long it will take to save $100k.

If you earn 1% returns, it will take 1.99 years. If you earn 10% returns, it will take you 1.91 years. Not much of a difference. 

Here’s a chart that shows how long it will take to go from $0 to $100k based on different yearly savings. Each circle represents different annual investment returns. 

Some Observations

• Someone who saves $20k per year and earns 1% returns will accumulate $100k before someone who saves $15k per year and earns 10% returns.

• To save $100k in under 5 years, you need to save at least $20k per year.

• To save $100k in under 3 years, you need to save at least $35k per year.

$0 to $200k

Here’s the same chart, but for saving $200k.

Some Observations

• Someone who saves $20k and earns 3% returns will reach $200k at the same time as someone who saves $15k and earns 10% returns.

• If you save anything more than $30k per year, the difference in time it takes to save $200k is less than one year between 1% and 10% annual returns. 

$0 to $300k

Same chart, but for saving $300k.

Some Observations

• Investment returns matter a lot if you only save $5,000 per year. The difference between 1% and 10% returns is 27 years.

• If you save $50,000 per year and earn 10% returns, it will take 4.93 years to accumulate $300k. Instead, if you earn 1% returns it will take 5.86 years. That’s a difference of less than one year.

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Spreadsheet: saving_100k_to_300k

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