Future Value Formula:
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The Future Value formula calculates how much a series of cash flows will be worth at a future date, taking into account compound interest. It's essential for financial planning, investment analysis, and retirement savings calculations.
The calculator uses the Future Value formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the compounded growth of an initial investment plus the future value of regular contributions, accounting for the compounding frequency.
Details: Understanding future value helps individuals and businesses make informed financial decisions about savings, investments, and long-term financial goals. It demonstrates the power of compound interest over time.
Tips: Enter the initial investment amount, annual interest rate (as a decimal), number of compounding periods per year, time in years, and regular payment amount. All values must be valid non-negative numbers.
Q1: What's the difference between simple and compound interest?
A: Simple interest is calculated only on the principal amount, while compound interest is calculated on both the principal and accumulated interest, leading to exponential growth.
Q2: How does compounding frequency affect future value?
A: More frequent compounding (higher n) results in higher future values because interest is calculated and added to the principal more often.
Q3: What if the interest rate is zero?
A: When interest rate is zero, the formula simplifies to FV = P + (PMT × n × t), as there's no compounding effect.
Q4: Can this calculator handle irregular payments?
A: No, this calculator assumes regular, consistent payments. For irregular payments, more complex calculations are needed.
Q5: How accurate is this calculation for real-world scenarios?
A: While mathematically accurate, real-world results may vary due to changing interest rates, fees, taxes, and other factors not accounted for in this basic formula.