How long does it take to double your money? (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to double your money? ›

Years to double your money = 72 ÷ assumed rate of return. Consider: You've got $10,000 to invest and you hope to earn 8% over time. Just divide 72 by 8—which equals 9. Now you know it'll take approximately 9 years to grow your $10,000 to $20,000.

Do you know the Rule of 72? 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.

Very few investors know how long it takes to double their money. Rule of 72 can be of help. Divide 72 by the expected rate of return and the answer is the number of years required to double your money. For example, if a bond offers 6 percent rate of interest per year, then you will double your money in 12 years.

So, if the interest rate is 6%, you would divide 72 by 6 to get 12. This means that the investment will take about 12 years to double with a 6% fixed annual interest rate. This calculator flips the 72 rule and shows what interest rate you would need to double your investment in a set number of years.

The classic approach of doubling your money involves investing in a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds and is probably the one that applies to most investors. Investing to double your money can be done safely over several years but there's more of a risk of losing most or all of your money if you're impatient.

Most people think of ROI in terms of currency: you invest $1,000 and you earn $100, that's a 10% return on your investment: ($1,000 + $100) / $1,000 = 1.10, or 10%. If your ROI is 100%, you've doubled your initial investment.

For example, the Rule of 72 states that $1 invested at an annual fixed interest rate of 10% would take 7.2 years ((72 ÷ 10) = 7.2) to grow to $2. In reality, a 10% investment will take 7.3 years to double (1.10^7.3 = 2).

One can also use this to compute the returns a portfolio should generate to double money in a given time period. If you want to double it in five years, the portfolio should be invested such that it yields 72/5=14.4%.

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The Rule of 72 is a calculation that estimates the number of years it takes to double your money at a specified rate of return. 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.

One of the key rules within my unique Income Method is the Rule of 42 - holding at least 42 income-generating investments that enable you to have reduced risk from any individual holding.

For example, the Rule of 72 states that $1 invested at an annual fixed interest rate of 10% would take 7.2 years ((72 ÷ 10) = 7.2) to grow to $2. In reality, a 10% investment will take 7.3 years to double (1.10^7.3 = 2).

One of those tools is known as the Rule 72. For example, let's say you have saved $50,000 and your 401(k) holdings historically has a rate of return of 8%. 72 divided by 8 equals 9 years until your investment is estimated to double to $100,000.

Number of years to double the money = 72 / Interest Rate

It is a reasonably accurate formula and more so while using lower interest rates than higher ones. If your money is kept in a savings account that earns just 4%, it will take 18 years to double your money.

Use the Rule of 72 to estimate how long it will take to double an investment at a given interest rate. Divide 72 by the interest rate to see how long it will take to double your money on an investment. Alternatively you can calculate what interest rate you need to double your investment within a certain time period.