Long-term growth
Investment growth should be read in two numbers: the future account balance and what that balance may buy after the inflation assumption.
Live model
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# Investment trajectory initial_capital = 25000 in usd monthly_investment = 800 in usd return_rate = 7% inflation_rate = 2% horizon_years = 20 new_contributions = monthly_investment * 12 * horizon_years total_contributed = initial_capital + new_contributions inflation_factor = (1 + inflation_rate) ^ horizon_years
Inputs
Method
future_value = compounded initial capital + future value of recurring contributionsreal_future_value = nominal_future_value / (1 + inflation_rate)^yearstotal_contributed = initial_capital + monthly_investment × 12 × yearsContinuum keeps the authored source canonical. The full production template adds interpretation and a richer preview without hiding these relationships.
Worked example
The nominal projection will be larger than its real value. Both matter: one describes the account statement, the other the modeled purchasing power.
Questions
It discounts the projected balance by the inflation assumption, expressing the result in roughly today’s purchasing power.
The full Continuum template uses the stated compounding frequency. Real markets are uneven, so the smooth path is a planning simplification.
This model keeps a fixed contribution unless you explicitly change it. A separate growing-contribution scenario can better represent rising income.
Keep the reasoning
The full template opens as a local Continuum document. Edit every assumption, use the production preview, and keep the source.
Open investment growth calculator