Reference & charts

Savings Timeline Reference Chart

Savings timeline table for common goals.

Assumes 4% annual return compounded monthly, starting from $0. Actual timelines vary with market performance and tax-advantaged account growth.

Years to reach savings goals at 4% annual return from $0

Goal	$100/month	$250/month	$500/month	$1,000/month
$5,000 emergency fund	4.0 years	1.6 years	0.8 years	0.4 years
$10,000 vacation/travel	7.8 years	3.1 years	1.6 years	0.8 years
$20,000 car down payment	14.5 years	5.8 years	2.9 years	1.5 years
$50,000 house down payment	34 years	13.6 years	6.8 years	3.4 years
$100,000 major goal	—	—	13.5 years	6.8 years

Frequently asked questions

Find your category or range in the table, then use the linked calculator to compute an exact value for your inputs.

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