Stock Market Simulator

How to use

1. Enter your starting investment, or zero to begin from contributions alone.
2. Add the monthly contribution you plan to keep up.
3. Set an assumed annual return and the number of years to project.
4. Compare final value against total contributed to see how much is growth.

About this tool

This simulator projects a brokerage or index fund balance under one constant annual return of your choosing. Enter a starting amount, a fixed monthly contribution, an assumed return, and a holding period; the engine compounds monthly and reports the final value, the dollars you actually deposited, and the growth those deposits generated. The math is deterministic, so the same inputs always produce the same answer, which makes it a planning tool rather than a prediction of any real market path. Real indexes move in lumpy sequences, with drawdowns and recoveries a smooth 7 percent line never shows. Broad-market long-run averages are often quoted near 10 percent nominal before fees; many planners model lower figures instead. Constant-return projections are illustrative, not forecasts; real returns vary, and past averages do not bind future results; not investment advice.Monthly contributions behave like dollar-cost averaging inside the model: a fixed sum buys in regardless of price, though a constant-return path cannot show the discount effect of buying through a dip. Fees matter quietly here too; model your expected return net of expense ratios, since growing at 6 percent instead of 7 percent for 25 years leaves a final balance roughly 21 percent smaller.

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