Updated: 21st October 2021.
Use our investment calculator to see what your returns could look like when you start investing to reach your financial goals. Always remember that when investing, your capital is put at risk and you may get back less than you invest. You should therefore never invest any money you cannot afford to lose.
Our investment calculator is easy to use. Simply follow these steps.
If you have, say, £2,000 to invest right now, enter that into the ‘Starting Amount’ box.
If you are planning to add a certain amount of money into your investment account every month, enter that into the ‘Additional Contributions’ box and pick ‘Monthly’ from the drop-down menu.
Alternatively, if you plan to add a lump sum to your account once a year, enter your planned contribution and select ‘Annually’ from the drop-down menu.
At what rate do you expect your investment to grow each year? This will depend on the type of investment.
Since the FTSE 100 started in 1984, total returns have averaged 7.75% per year. So, if you are planning to invest in an index fund that tracks the FTSE 100, you can use this rate as a starting point.
Keep in mind, however, that past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.
Additionally, it doesn’t mean that you can expect your investment to grow by 7.75% (or any other specific rate for that matter) every year. Your investment can go up as well as down, but over the long term, these fluctuations should balance out to leave you in positive growth territory.
Enter the percentage you expect your investment to grow by in the ‘Rate of Return’ box.
The longer you invest, the more time you will have to ride out any potential downturns in the market. A good rule of thumb is to invest your money for at least five years. This will give it the best possible chance of growing.
Enter the number of years you plan to invest for in the ‘Number of years to grow’ box.
This investment calculator will give you an idea of how your investment might grow over time based on the figures and options you choose and enter.
You can play around with the expected rate of return and your monthly (or annual) contributions to see how they affect your future returns. For example, if you have a specific goal, you can see how much you need to invest based on your specified rate of return.
Don’t forget that these are just projected and not guaranteed returns. Your capital is always at risk when you invest, and you may get back less than you put in.
If you are not sure whether a particular investment is right for you, it’s a good idea to speak to a financial adviser.
If you are ready to begin your investment journey, we understand that finding the right share dealing account can be a difficult task. There are so many providers out there, and they all claim to be the best. But which one can you actually trust to give you the best value for your money?
To help you narrow down your choices and hopefully find the account that is best suited to your needs, we’ve reviewed and ranked what we see as some of the top providers of share dealing accounts in the UK.