<\/p>\n
If you’d prefer not to do the math manually, you can use the compound interest calculator at the top of our page. Simplyenter your principal amount, interest rate, compounding frequency and the time period. You can also include regular deposits or withdrawals to see how they impact the future value. In reality, investment returns will vary year to year and even day to day. In the short term, riskier investments such as stocks or stock mutual funds may lose value.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Simple interest refers only to interest earned on the principal balance; interest earned on interest is not taken into account. To see how compound interest differs from simple interest, use our simple interest vs compound interest calculator. The easiest way to take advantage of compound interest is to start saving! Just enter your beginning balance, the regular deposit amount at any specified interval, the interest rate, compounding interval, and the number of years you expect to allow your investment to grow. This flexibility allows you to calculate and compare the expected interest earnings on various investment scenarios so that you know if an 8% return, compounded daily is better than a 9% return, compounded annually. The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n