Future Value Formula:
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The Future Value formula calculates the value of savings or investments at a future date, taking into account an initial principal, regular contributions, and compound interest. It helps individuals plan for financial goals by projecting growth over time.
The calculator uses the Future Value formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula accounts for compound interest on both the initial principal and regular contributions, with different compounding frequencies.
Details: Calculating future value is essential for financial planning, retirement savings, investment analysis, and understanding how money grows over time through compounding.
Tips: Enter initial principal in £, annual interest rate as a decimal (e.g., 0.05 for 5%), number of compounding periods per year, time in years, and periodic payment in £ per period. All values must be non-negative.
Q1: What is compound interest?
A: Compound interest is interest calculated on both the initial principal and the accumulated interest from previous periods, leading to exponential growth.
Q2: How does compounding frequency affect future value?
A: More frequent compounding (higher n) results in higher future value due to interest being calculated and added more often.
Q3: What's the difference between annual and monthly compounding?
A: Monthly compounding (n=12) calculates interest 12 times per year, resulting in slightly higher returns than annual compounding (n=1) at the same rate.
Q4: Can I use this for retirement planning?
A: Yes, this calculator is useful for projecting retirement savings growth with regular contributions and compound interest.
Q5: What if the interest rate is zero?
A: When r=0, the formula simplifies to FV = P + (PMT × n × t), calculating simple accumulation without interest.