Inflation-adjusted value calculator
Convert a future amount into today's purchasing power using an expected annual inflation rate.
Putting the numbers to work
When prices rise, the same amount buys fewer goods and services. A future account balance alone does not tell you the standard of living it can support. Consider the purchasing power of retirement assets or a maturity payment alongside its nominal amount.
If inflation stays at 3% for 20 years, a future $100,000 has purchasing power equivalent to $55,368 today. This measures what the balance can buy, rather than a loss from the account.
Compare the same future amount of $100,000 at 2%, 3% and 4% inflation. These are illustrative assumptions, not forecasts, and each rate is held constant every year.
Higher assumed inflation reduces purchasing power over the same period. Compare several assumptions to see whether your planned balance still supports your needs. Your spending on housing, health care and education can also make your personal cost of living differ from a broad inflation measure.
Long-term planning is about both the balance you build and the purchasing power you preserve. Allowing for inflation makes maintaining and growing that purchasing power part of the goal. This is a reason to explore saving and investing so your money can grow alongside your plans.
Interest or investment gains do not necessarily increase purchasing power after inflation, taxes and costs. Investments can lose value. Plan around when you need the money and the losses you can tolerate, with different purposes for near-term spending and long-term assets.
Explore projected asset growth → · Plan contributions toward a future goal →
This calculator converts a future amount into today’s purchasing power. Asking how much a future budget must be to maintain today’s living costs reverses that calculation. Start with a future amount and period, then consider how much of today’s spending the result could cover. The tool does not track personal expenses or calculate investment growth.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics — prices and purchasing power
How it works
The future amount is divided by cumulative inflation over the selected period to estimate its value in today's money.
Compare whether a future savings goal or retirement income could support the lifestyle that the same amount supports today.
This example assumes annual inflation of 2.5% for the full 10-year period.
The account balance is not being reduced. The result means that $100,000 may buy roughly what $78,120 buys today under the inflation assumption.
No. The nominal amount stays the same. Only its purchasing power is translated into today's money.
No. Housing, healthcare, education, and other spending patterns can make personal cost increases differ from a broad index.
Not currently. It applies the same annual inflation assumption throughout the selected period.
