Watch compounding become a curve.
Small, consistent gains — reinvested — grow into a shape logic alone cannot picture. Adjust the numbers and see it.
$
$
%
Total value
$682,561
Contributed
$190,000
Interest earned
$492,561
ContributedInterest earned
For illustration only. Assumes a constant annual return compounded once per year, which real markets never deliver exactly — actual results will vary.
Contributions vs interest
The stacked curve updates as you type. Over enough years, interest earned on interest — not the contributions themselves — becomes the dominant driver.
Plan the messy years
Step monthly savings over time, plan recurring trips, and model one-off expenses that pull from the balance.
How this is calculated
Each year, the running total is increased by that year's contributions, then multiplied by (1 + annual rate).
Read Power Law