5 Ways to Use the Rule of 72 - wikiHow (2024)

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This article was co-authored by Paridhi Jain. Paridhi Jain is a Certified Public Accountant and the Co-Founder of Seva Ltd, a CPA firm operating in Maryland and Alabama. She has over 10 years of professional experience in the financial sector and has built a reputation for assisting small business owners navigate the intricacies of regulatory compliance, encompassing areas from company structuring and entity formation to detailed nexus determinations for income and sales tax. She is an active member of the Alabama Society of CPAs and has a certification in pre-professional accounting. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County with a major in Information Systems. This article has been viewed 374,725 times.

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5 Ways to Use the Rule of 72 - wikiHow (2024)

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5 Ways to Use the Rule of 72 - wikiHow? ›

If, for example, your account earns 4 percent, divide 72 by 4 to get the number of years it will take for your money to double. In this case, 18 years. The same calculation can also be useful for inflation, but it will reflect the number of years until the initial value has been cut in half, rather than doubling.

In what ways can you use the Rule of 72 choose two answers? ›

Key Takeaways:
  • The rule of 72 can help you forecast how long it will take for your investments to double.
  • Divide 72 by the annual fixed interest rate to determine the rate at which the money would double.
  • Historical returns on your investment type can help choose a realistic expected return rate, in some cases.
Aug 29, 2023

How do you use the Rule of 72? ›

If, for example, your account earns 4 percent, divide 72 by 4 to get the number of years it will take for your money to double. In this case, 18 years. The same calculation can also be useful for inflation, but it will reflect the number of years until the initial value has been cut in half, rather than doubling.

What is the Rule of 72 and 69? ›

The Rule of 72 states that by dividing 72 by the annual interest rate, you can estimate the number of years required for an investment to double. The Rule of 69.3 is a more accurate formula for higher interest rates and is calculated by dividing 69.3 by the interest rate.

Is the Rule of 72 accurate? ›

The Rule of 72 is a simplified formula that calculates how long it'll take for an investment to double in value, based on its rate of return. The Rule of 72 applies to compounded interest rates and is reasonably accurate for interest rates that fall in the range of 6% and 10%.

How long would $100,000 take to double? ›

This tells you that, at a 6% annual rate of return, you can expect your investment to double in value — to be worth $100,000 — in roughly 12 years. When calculating the Rule of 72 for any investment, note that the formula is an estimation tool and the years are approximate.

Does the Rule of 72 apply to debt? ›

You can also apply the Rule of 72 to debt for a sobering look at the impact of carrying a credit card balance. Assume a credit card balance of $10,000 at an interest rate of 17%. If you don't pay down the balance, the debt will double to $20,000 in approximately 4 years and 3 months.

What is the 10/20 rule? ›

The 20/10 rule follows the logic that no more than 20% of your annual net income should be spent on consumer debt and no more than 10% of your monthly net income should be used to pay debt repayments.

What is the 50 30 20 rule? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.

What is the golden Rule of 72? ›

1) Rule of 72

The 'Rule of 72' gives you an estimate of the number of years it will take to double your money in a particular investment tool. You need to divide the rate of returns by 72 to know the time it would take you to double your investments.

What is the Rule of 72 10? ›

His $10,000 could turn into $20,000 around his 37th birthday (without any further contributions). The math behind this rule of 72 calculation is as follows: Calculation: 72 / Rate of Return = Years to Double. Example: 72 / 10% = 7.2 Years to Double.

What is the rule of 144? ›

An extension of Rule of 72, the Rule of 144 estimates how long it takes to quadruple your investment if you can estimate the annual rate of return. Mutual Fund Investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully.

What is rule 72 in savings? ›

It's an easy way to calculate just how long it's going to take for your money to double. Just take the number 72 and divide it by the interest rate you hope to earn. That number gives you the approximate number of years it will take for your investment to double.

How to double $2000 dollars in 24 hours? ›

How To Double Money In 24 Hours – 10+ Top Ideas
  1. Flip Stuff For Profit.
  2. Start A Retail Arbitrage Business.
  3. Invest In Real Estate.
  4. Play Games For Money.
  5. Invest In Dividend Stocks & ETFs.
  6. Use Crypto Interest Accounts.
  7. Start A Side Hustle.
  8. Invest In Your 401(k)
May 1, 2024

How to double 1000 dollars? ›

How can I double my $1,000? One of the easiest ways to double $1,000 is to invest it in a 401(k) and get the employer match. For example, if your employer matches your contributions dollar for dollar, you'll get a $1,000 match on your $1,000 contribution.

Why is 72 used in the rule of 72? ›

For higher rates, a bigger numerator would be better (e.g. for 20%, using 76 to get 3.8 years would be only about 0.002 off, where using to 72 get 3.6 would be about 2.002 off). 72 is a reasonable approximation across this range and is easily divisible by many numbers.

What are three things the rule of 72 can determine? ›

dividing 72 by the interest rate will show you how long it will take your money to double. How many years it takes an invesment to double, How many years it takes debt to double, The interest rate must earn to double in a time frame, How many times debt or money will double in a period of time.

What can you use the rule of 72 to estimate quizlet? ›

The number of years it takes for a certain amount to double in value is equal to 72 divided by its annual rate of interest. It is only an approximation. Interest rate must remain constant.

What is the rule of 72 and how is it an easy way to determine quizlet? ›

The Rule of 72 is a formula to approximate the time it will take for a given amount of money to double at a given compound interest rate. The formula is 72 divided by the interest rate earned. In a little over seven years, $100 will double at a compound annual rate of 10 percent (72/10 = 7.2 years).

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