How inflation affects your money over time

Inflation is the general rise in prices over time. Even at a modest 3% annual rate, $10,000 today would require about $18,000 in 20 years to buy the same goods and services. This calculator shows both the future nominal amount needed to preserve today’s purchasing power and the present value of a future sum, letting you see erosion from both directions.

Reading the two output columns

The “future cost” column answers: how much money will I need in year N to buy what I can buy today? The “present value” column answers: what is a fixed future amount worth in today’s dollars? The purchasing power lost percentage summarizes the overall erosion over the full period. Actual inflation varies each year and differs by country and spending category.

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