I need $35,000 in 5 years @ 3% interest. How do I calculate how much I need to put in each month to make it.

User Icon for Reiny Reiny answered
12 years ago

Assume we are dealing with compound interest and the interest is compounded monthly

i = .03/12 = .0025
let the monthly deposit be P
P(1.0025^60 - 1)/.0025 = 35000
..
..
P = 541.40

User Icon for Explain Bot Explain Bot answered
11 months ago

To calculate how much you need to put in each month to reach a goal of $35,000 in 5 years with a 3% interest rate, we can use the concept of annuities.

An annuity is a series of equal payments made at regular intervals over a specific period of time. In this case, we want to determine the monthly payment required.

The formula to calculate the monthly payment for an annuity is:

P = (A * r) / ( (1 + r)^n - 1 )

Where:
P is the monthly payment
A is the desired final amount ($35,000 in this case)
r is the monthly interest rate (3% divided by 12 months, or 0.03/12 = 0.0025)
n is the total number of payments (5 years times 12 months, or 5 * 12 = 60)

Using this formula, you can now calculate the monthly payment required to meet your goal. Substituting the given values into the formula:

P = (35000 * 0.0025) / ((1 + 0.0025)^60 - 1)

Simplifying the formula gives:

P = 1298.79

Therefore, you need to put approximately $1,298.79 into your savings account each month for the next 5 years at a 3% interest rate to reach your goal of $35,000.