Inflation Calculator
Project future prices and the eroding purchasing power of cash.
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How to use Inflation Calculator
- 01Enter an amount in today's money.
- 02Set an assumed annual inflation rate — 3% is a common long-run planning figure.
- 03Set the number of years and read the equivalent future cost and the future worth of today's cash.
About Inflation Calculator
Inflation compounds exactly like interest, just in the direction that hurts. At 3% a year, prices double in roughly 24 years, which is why a salary that never rises is a pay cut in real terms.
The two results answer the two questions people actually ask: what will this amount of stuff cost later (multiply by the inflation factor), and what will this cash be worth later (divide by it). The calculator assumes a constant rate, so treat it as a planning estimate rather than a forecast.
Frequently asked questions
- What inflation rate should I use?
- US inflation has averaged roughly 3% over the long run, but recent years have run higher. Try a few rates.
- Why does cash lose value?
- Because prices rise while the number of dollars stays the same, so each dollar buys less.
- Does this use official CPI data?
- No — it projects forward from a rate you choose, rather than looking up historical CPI.
This calculator provides estimates for planning purposes and is not financial advice.
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