The All-Purpose Goal Planner
Whether you're saving for your kids' college education, a second home, or a dream trip around the world, the basic question usually boils down to: "How much do I need to sock away every month to make it happen?"
First, pick an investment goal. Just fill in what it would cost if you had to pay for it today: a boat, a home, a college education ...
Investment goal: $

Next, enter the number of years you have to save for your goal.
Years to goal:

Now, you have to make two assumptions:

What will the inflation rate be during this period?
(Four or five percent might be reasonable.)
Estimated inflation rate: %

How big an investment return can I expect on my savings? Ten percent is very good in most years. Since no one knows for sure, your guess is as good as anyone else's. (Try changing your assumptions to see the impact on how much you need to save.)
Estimated rate of return: %

Press the tab key to update results in the right column