Cost of Delay Calculator
Enter the amount, contributions, return and how long you delay.
Cost of delay
β
Enter values above
Value if you start now
β
Value if you delay
β
Delay as % of final value
β
Extra monthly needed to catch up
β
Total contributions in both cases
β
Worked example
With the default inputs shown below, this calculator returns the following results:
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Amount available today ($) | 10000 |
| Monthly contribution ($) | 500 |
| Expected return (%) | 7 |
| Delay before starting (years) | 3 |
| Investment period after starting (years) | 20 |
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost of delay | $90,041 |
| Value if you start now | $390,892 |
| Value if you delay | $300,851 |
| Delay as % of final value | 23.03% |
| Extra monthly needed to catch up | $672.85 |
| Total contributions in both cases | $148,000 |
Values shown are produced by this page in your browser; change any input to update them.
How to use the Cost of Delay Calculator
- Amount available today ($) β default 10000
- Monthly contribution ($) β default 500
- Expected return (%) β default 7
- Delay before starting (years) β default 3
- Investment period after starting (years) β default 20
- Press Calculate to update the results instantly.
Frequently asked questions
Because the money you never invested in the early years also never compounds. The first years of an investment do the heaviest lifting, so every year of delay removes a disproportionate slice of the final balance.
Yes, but it costs more. The extra monthly contribution figure shows exactly how much more you would need to put in each month to reach the same end value.
Start with a smaller amount rather than waiting. Contributing something from now is usually better than contributing more later, because time in the market is what compounds.