Question 1

What does $1,000 grow to at 6% for 10 years?

Accepted Answer

$1,000 invested at 6% annual compound interest for 10 years grows to $1,791. Your original investment earns $791 in interest — a 79.1% total return and a 1.79× multiplier on your money.

Question 2

How long does it take to double money at 6%?

Accepted Answer

At 6% annual compound interest, your money doubles approximately every 12 years (the Rule of 72: 72 ÷ 6 = 12). Over 10 years, $1,000 has the potential to double 0.8 times.

Question 3

Is 6% a realistic return?

Accepted Answer

6% is a moderate return that aligns with long-term historical averages for diversified share portfolios. The ASX 200 has returned around 9–10% p.a. including dividends historically, so 6% is realistic over long periods after accounting for fees and portfolio mix.

Question 4

What's the effect of adding regular contributions?

Accepted Answer

These figures show a one-time lump sum of $1,000 with no additional contributions. Adding regular contributions compounds the growth dramatically. For example, adding $200/month to $1,000 at 6% for 10 years would result in a significantly larger final balance. Use the interactive calculator above to model your own contribution amount.

Question 5

How does inflation affect this result?

Accepted Answer

This calculator shows nominal returns — the dollar figures before adjusting for inflation. Australia's historical inflation rate is around 2–3% per year. To estimate real purchasing power, subtract the inflation rate from your return: at 6% return and 2.5% inflation, your real return is approximately 3.5% p.a. In real terms, $1,791 in 10 years would buy meaningfully less than it does today.

Year	Balance	Interest
Yr 1	$1,060	+$60
Yr 2	$1,124	+$64
Yr 3	$1,191	+$67
Yr 4	$1,262	+$71
Yr 5	$1,338	+$76
Yr 6	$1,419	+$80
Yr 7	$1,504	+$85
Yr 8	$1,594	+$90
Yr 9	$1,689	+$96
Yr 10	$1,791	+$101

Rate	Final balance	Interest earned	Multiplier
4%	$1,480	$480	1.48×
5%	$1,629	$629	1.63×
6% ◀	$1,791	$791	1.79×
7%	$1,967	$967	1.97×
8%	$2,159	$1,159	2.16×
9%	$2,367	$1,367	2.37×
10%	$2,594	$1,594	2.59×

Year	Balance	Interest this year	Total interest	Growth
Year 1	$1,060	+$60	$60	1.06×
Year 2	$1,124	+$64	$124	1.12×
Year 3	$1,191	+$67	$191	1.19×
Year 4	$1,262	+$71	$262	1.26×
Year 5	$1,338	+$76	$338	1.34×
Year 6	$1,419	+$80	$419	1.42×
Year 7	$1,504	+$85	$504	1.50×
Year 8	$1,594	+$90	$594	1.59×
Year 9	$1,689	+$96	$689	1.69×
Year 10	$1,791	+$101	$791	1.79×

Year	Balance	Interest
Yr 1	$1,060	+$60
Yr 2	$1,124	+$64
Yr 3	$1,191	+$67
Yr 4	$1,262	+$71
Yr 5	$1,338	+$76
Yr 6	$1,419	+$80
Yr 7	$1,504	+$85
Yr 8	$1,594	+$90
Yr 9	$1,689	+$96
Yr 10	$1,791	+$101

$1,000 at 6% for 10 Years

How $1,000 grows at 6%

Year-by-year projection

Growth chart

Frequently asked questions

Explore other scenarios

Related calculators