Quantify the real dollar cost of delaying your investments. See exactly how much waiting a few years costs in final portfolio value.
Amount invested each month
Expected annual return (US equities avg ~10%)
Total years from today to end goal
Must be less than the total horizon
Compound growth is exponential — the last years of a 30-year horizon contribute far more to final value than the first years. When you delay by 5 years, you don't just lose 5 years of contributions; you lose the compounding on those contributions for the remaining 25 years. That's the multiplicative damage this calculator reveals.
Studies consistently show that missing even the 10 best trading days of a decade dramatically cuts returns. The best and worst days often cluster together, making it nearly impossible to time exits and re-entries. The safest strategy: stay invested continuously.
This calculator models a monthly SIP delay — you sit out and invest zero during the delay period. If you save cash to invest as a lump sum later, use the Lump Sum vs DCA tool instead to compare strategies.
No — it assumes cash sits idle earning nothing. If you keep it in a high-yield savings account at 4–5%, the actual delay cost is lower.
At $500/month and 10%/yr over 40 years (25→65) vs. 30 years (35→65): about $1.7M vs. $1.0M. The 10-year delay costs ~$700,000 — roughly 40% of the maximum possible wealth.