Investing Guide
How long does it take to reach $100K invested?
$100K is the inflection point. Before it, you are doing most of the work. After it, compound interest starts earning more than your contributions. Here is exactly how long it takes at every contribution level, using the future-value-of-an-annuity formula: FV = PMT x ((1 + r/12)^(n x 12) - 1) / (r/12), at 8% average annual return.
Time to $100K by monthly contribution
| Monthly | Years to $100K | You contributed | Market added | % from growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $300/mo | ~11.5 years | $41,400 | $58,600 | 59% |
| $500/mo | ~7.5 years | $45,000 | $55,000 | 55% |
| $833/mo | ~5.0 years | $49,980 | $50,020 | 50% |
| $1,000/mo | ~4.3 years | $51,600 | $48,400 | 48% |
Why $100K is the inflection point
At $100K invested and 8% return, your portfolio generates $8,000/year in growth. If you contribute $500/month ($6,000/year), your money is already earning more than you contribute. From here, compound interest accelerates: $250K takes 13.8 years (halfway to $1M in time), $500K takes 20.5 years, $1M takes 27.6 years. At $1M, 72% came from growth.
What to do after $100K
- Do not change your strategy. Same index fund, same automation.
- Increase contributions with every raise (capture the raise before lifestyle adjusts).
- Rebalance once a year (target-date funds do this automatically).
- Track your trajectory on the projections dashboard.
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