What is compound interest?
Compound interest is interest calculated on both the initial principal and accumulated interest. Unlike simple interest, compound interest 'snowballs' - each period's interest earns interest in future periods.
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Calculate compound interest with interactive growth charts. See contribution breakdowns and compare scenarios visually.
Calculate compound interest with interactive growth charts, contribution breakdowns, and scenario comparisons.
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Compound interest is interest calculated on both the initial principal and accumulated interest. Unlike simple interest, compound interest 'snowballs' - each period's interest earns interest in future periods.
More frequent compounding yields more growth. Daily compounding earns slightly more than monthly, which earns more than annually. For most savings accounts and investments, the difference between daily and monthly is small.
The Rule of 72 estimates how long it takes to double your money. Divide 72 by the annual interest rate: at 8%, money doubles in about 9 years (72/8). It's a quick mental math shortcut.
The basic calculation uses nominal returns. For real (inflation-adjusted) returns, subtract the expected inflation rate from your interest rate. A 7% return with 3% inflation yields ~4% real return.