Search

Million Dollar Calculator: When Will You Be a Millionaire?

Calculate how long you'll need to save to reach $1,000,000 with MoneyHub's trusted calculator.
Updated 5 May 2026​

How long will it take you to have $1,000,000 in cash assets?

The answer depends on how much you save and invest, the annual return you get, and how much you currently have. For example, a 30-year-old with $25,000 in current savings and contributing $5,000 per year, and receiving an annual return (after tax) of 5%, will reach $1,000,000 by the time they are 75 years old, meaning it would take 45 years. However, those prepared to save and invest more and chase higher returns can, if markets perform, become a cash millionaire much earlier.

How to Use Our Million Dollar Calculator

  1. Enter your current savings and investments (KiwiSaver balance, savings accounts, investment portfolio, anything liquid).
  2. Add your regular contribution, choosing monthly or annual depending on how you naturally think about it. The calculator handles the conversion. Then enter your expected annual investment return (7% is a reasonable long-term average for a balanced or growth fund before fees, which is why we use it as the default).
  3. Finally, enter your current age.The verdict card shows when you reach $1 million and at what age. The stats below break down how much of that million is your contributions versus investment growth. The chart shows the path to a million with a marker on the crossover year.
  4. The inflation toggle lets you choose whether to target $1 million in nominal dollars (the standard interpretation) or $1 million in today's purchasing power. The latter is more honest because it reflects what the money will actually buy. At 2.5% inflation, $1 million in 30 years buys roughly what $477,000 buys today. If you want to be a "real millionaire" three decades from now, you actually need to accumulate around $2.1 million in nominal dollars.

Million Dollar Calculator

When will you reach $1 million from saving and investing? Enter your details and see your projected millionaire timeline.

Regular contribution
$
Includes KiwiSaver contributions, regular savings, and any investment top-ups.
You will reach your million in 27 years at age 57
Total contributions $324,000
Investment growth $656,000
Your path to a million

Three things worth knowing about reaching a million dollars

1) Compound growth does most of the heavy lifting if you start early
  • ​A 25-year-old saving $500/month at 7% returns will reach $1 million by age 57 - total contributions only $192,000, with $808,000 coming from compound investment growth.
  • The same person starting at age 35 needs to save $1,200/month to reach $1 million by 57.
  • Starting ten years later more than doubles the required monthly contribution.
  • This is the most powerful insight in personal finance and why financial literacy education emphasises starting young, even with modest amounts.

2) Your investment return rate matters more than people realise
  • The difference between 5% and 7% returns over 30 years on a $500/month contribution is around $400,000 in final balance.
  • Within reasonable ranges, this is the difference between being in a low-fee index fund and a high-fee actively managed fund. For most New Zealanders, the highest-leverage decision they can make is moving their KiwiSaver and investments into low-fee broad-market index funds.
  • Our Basis Points Calculator shows what fund management fees cost in dollar terms.

3) A million dollars in 30 years isn't worth what it is today
  • ​At 2.5% inflation (a reasonable New Zealand long-term assumption), $1 million in 2056 will have the buying power of around $477,000 in 2026 dollars. To genuinely become a "real" millionaire three decades from now, you need to target closer to $2.1 million in nominal terms.
  • The inflation toggle on this calculator handles this automatically. Don't let nominal-dollar targets fool you into thinking you're more on track than you are.

How can I invest more and spend less?

The best starting point is to download a free budgeting app which shows you how you spend money. By knowing where your money goes, you have the best chance of cutting down on things you don't need or value. You can set up savings goals and auto-invest using platforms such as Sharesies, Hatch, Kernel and InvestNow. By cutting down expenses and diverting saved money into long-term investments, you'll move closer and closer to financial security.

What are the best investments and KiwiSaver funds?

There's no one 'best' KiwiSaver fund - our favourite KiwiSaver funds guide has more details about potential funds you may want to consider. When it comes to investing, there are endless options. Our investing guide outlines how to avoid common mistakes and make well-informed decisions.
Related Guides and Resources