The Power of Compounding

Did you know that money saved today is more valuable than money saved tomorrow? That’s due to the amazing power of compounding. To determine how quickly your savings may double, simply divide 72 by your current annual rate of return for a rough estimate. For example, if you make a one-time investment of $7,500 today at an annual growth rate of 7.2%, based on the Rule of 72 (a simplified way to estimate how long an investment will take to double at a fixed annual rate), that one year of savings will potentially grow to $15,000 in 10 years, $30,000 in 20 years, and so on.

That’s a compelling reason to begin saving early in life! Here’s another example:

• A 40-year-old who begins saving $5,500 a year for retirement at a hypothetical 7.2% annual rate of return in a tax-deferred savings vehicle, like an IRA or 401(k), would accumulate $415,076 by age 65.
• A 25-year-old saving the same amount at the same growth rate would accumulate $1,328,204 by age 65.
• To reach the younger saver’s tax-deferred savings total, the 40-year-old would have to save about $17,600 a year—more than three times the annual savings amount of the investor who began saving at age 25.*

While the Rule of 72 is a reasonably accurate shortcut for estimating growth rates that fall between 6% and 10%, it’s not perfect. To calculate accurate earnings growth rates, set up an appointment to discuss strategies for pursuing your long-term retirement savings goals.

^{*Performance data provided is hypothetical; does not represent the performance of any specific investment; and assumes a 25% marginal tax bracket. Past performance is not indicative of future results.}

^{The hypothetical investment results are for illustrative purposes only and should not be deemed a representation of past or future results.  Actual investment results may be more or less than those shown. This does not represent any specific product.}

^{This example does not reflect sales charges or other expenses that may be required for some investments. Rates of return will vary over time, particularly for long-term investments.}

^{NOTE: The following calculator was used to derive the tax-deferred vs. taxable values in the examples above: https://www.calcxml.com/do/inv07#top}