Savings Goal Calculator
Solve it either way: the monthly amount that hits your target by a deadline, or how long your current saving rate will take — interest included.
What do you want to solve for?
High-yield savings accounts currently pay ~4%
Save this much per month
$450
to reach $20,000 in 3 years
Progress so far
13%
$2,500 of $20,000
Two questions, one calculator
Every savings goal is one of two questions. "What will it take?" — you have a deadline (wedding in 18 months, house in 3 years) and need the monthly figure. Or "when will I get there?" — you know what you can spare and need the date. The calculator solves both, crediting interest along the way using the APY you enter.
Make the goal survivable
Goals fail at month three, not month one. Three habits that keep them alive: automate the transfer on payday so saving happens before spending; name the account after the goal — raiding "Tuscany 2027" feels different from raiding "Savings"; and pick the honest monthly number, not the heroic one — if the calculator says $450 and your budget says $300, take the longer timeline. (No budget yet? Start with the 50/30/20 calculator; goals live in the 20%.)
Short goals save, long goals invest
Under five years, use a high-yield savings account and let the APY field reflect it. Past five years — retirement, a far-off house — market returns start to dominate; model those with the compound interest calculator instead. And before any discretionary goal, make sure the emergency fund exists — it's the goal that protects all the others.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I save each month?
Work backwards from the goal: (goal − already saved) ÷ months remaining, minus a little help from interest. A $20,000 down payment in 3 years with $2,500 saved needs roughly $450/month at 4% APY. If that number doesn't fit your budget, the honest options are a longer timeline or a smaller goal — the calculator makes the trade-off visible.
Where should I keep money for a short-term goal?
For goals under ~5 years, a high-yield savings account or a CD/Treasury ladder — principal is protected and currently earns ~4%. Stocks are for long horizons; a 30% dip the year you need the down payment is a risk you don't have to take.
Does the interest rate really matter for savings goals?
Less than people hope on short timelines: at 3 years, moving from 0% to 4% APY on a $500/month plan adds roughly $1,100 — nice, but the monthly contribution does the heavy lifting. Rate matters more as timelines stretch past 5–10 years (that's compound interest territory).
Should I save for multiple goals at once?
Yes, once your emergency fund exists — split your monthly savings across named buckets (vacation, car, down payment) rather than one blob. Named goals are harder to raid. Stoia is built around exactly this: unlimited named goals, each funded from any account.
What savings rate is 'good'?
The 50/30/20 framework suggests 20% of take-home pay across all saving and extra debt payoff. But any consistent automated amount beats a sporadic ambitious one — automation on payday is the single highest-impact tactic.
Want this to update itself?
Stoia connects your real accounts and keeps the full picture current — net worth, budgets, and goals. Launching in 2026.