The cost of waiting.
See what investing during training, instead of after it, could add up to by retirement.
How the calculator works
Questions
What the result can tell you.
How is this calculated?
Each monthly deposit grows at the yearly return you choose, compounded monthly, until the retirement age you enter. Waiting removes the deposits from the years you wait and changes nothing else. The catch-up amount is the monthly deposit that would reach the start-now total in the years left.
What does it leave out?
Taxes, fees, inflation, employer matches, contribution limits and changes in what you can save over a career. It doesn’t model any particular investment or account. Real returns vary from year to year and can be negative.
Is the result a forecast?
No. It’s hypothetical: no portfolio earned these returns, and the result only shows how steady compounding works. Results vary with each use and over time, as your inputs and the return you assume change.
Should I invest in training or pay down loans first?
It depends on your loan rates, whether you’re pursuing PSLF, your emergency savings and any employer match. Those trade-offs are worth working through with an advisor before you choose.
Does alooola receive the numbers I enter?
No. The calculation runs in your browser. We count that the calculator was started and completed, but never the amounts you enter or the result.
Public reference, checked October 2026
Start with what fits your paycheck.
Open an account in the alooola app and invest a little each month. Your advisor is there whenever you want to talk it through.