How to use this calculator
This calculator compares investing the full amount at once with deploying the same starting capital in equal monthly portions. Cash that has not yet been invested stays in the model and earns the cash-return assumption you enter.
How the calculation works
The lump-sum scenario compounds all capital from month zero at the investment return. The staged scenario grows invested capital at that same rate, grows undeployed cash at its own rate, and transfers one equal portion of the original capital at each month end.
Worked example
If you have $12,000 and choose a 12-month deployment, the model schedules twelve $1,000 transfers. Any cash return on the uninvested amount remains part of the ending cash balance.
Assumptions and limitations
Both rates are constant assumptions, not forecasts. The model excludes taxes, fees, volatility, contribution changes, and the possibility that actual returns arrive in a different order.
Official sources and further reading
Frequently asked questions
Does the staged plan invest the same capital?
Yes. It deploys the entered starting amount in equal portions; it does not add that amount again as new monthly contributions.
What happens to cash while I wait?
The remaining cash earns the cash-return assumption you enter. Once the original capital is deployed, cash interest can remain in cash for the rest of the projection.
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Educational scenario only. This calculator does not provide individualized investment, tax, or legal advice. Confirm transaction records, tax treatment, and investment terms with the relevant official documents or qualified professionals.