Is 5% return realistic for a savings goal?

5% is conservative — fits a high-yield savings account or short-term bonds. For 5-10 year goals in stocks, 6-7% is more typical.

Should I include inflation?

For simple goals (down payment in 5 years), no. For long-horizon goals (college in 15 years), bump the target by ~3%/year to keep purchasing power.

Savings Goal Calculator

Monthly savings needed to hit a target amount by a deadline.

Result

Monthly savings needed

$640.87

Total you'll contribute$43,452.33
Interest earned$6,547.67
Current balance grows tobefore adding monthly contributions$6,416.79
Time to goal60 months

How to use this calculator

Enter your savings goal — be specific about the dollar amount.
Type your current balance for this goal (separate accounts is best).
Set the deadline in years.
Pick a return rate matching where the money lives (HYSA, brokerage, etc.).

About this tool

Set a savings goal — house down payment, car, big trip, kid's college — and the calculator works backwards: given your current balance, time horizon, and expected return, what monthly contribution gets you there? Lower the expected return for safer goals (a savings account: 1-5%), raise it for aggressive ones (a brokerage account in stocks: 6-8%). The math accounts for compounding on both your existing balance and the new contributions, so the monthly number is realistic, not just (target ÷ months).