A savings goal becomes a plan the moment it has a monthly number. This calculator solves that number directly — goal in, deadline in, and the required monthly contribution comes out, with interest working for you along the way.
How the math works
Your existing savings compound untouched for the whole period, so they're grown forward first. Whatever gap remains is filled by a stream of monthly deposits — an annuity — and the standard future-value-of-annuity formula is solved backwards for the payment. At 0% (cash under the mattress) it collapses to simple division: goal ÷ months.
Worked example
$10,000 in 2 years, starting from zero: in cash that's 10,000 ÷ 24 = $417/month. In an account paying 4%, growth chips in about $400 of the total, so $400/month suffices. Start with $2,000 already saved and the monthly need falls to roughly $317 — the head start compounds for the full two years.
The three levers
Every plan bends with the same three levers: the monthly amount, the timeline, and the rate. Time is the strongest — the bar under the result shows how much of the goal your deposits cover versus growth, and stretching the deadline visibly shifts weight onto growth. Rate is the weakest over short horizons; chasing yield matters far less than starting this month.
Picking an honest rate
Use your account's real quoted rate for cash goals. For invested goals, be conservative: markets don't promise anything on a 2-year clock. As a rule, money needed within a few years belongs in low-risk accounts even at lower rates. To see growth from the other direction — a fixed monthly amount growing over time — flip to the compound interest calculator, or plan the whole paycheck with the 50/30/20 budget.
For information only; not financial advice.