Inflation and buying power

This tool pairs with "Why bother investing at all", and it computes that article's least comfortable number: money that does nothing loses buying power every year. Enter an amount, an inflation assumption, and a number of years, and it tells you what the sum will be worth in today's terms when you get there.

Result

At 3% yearly inflation, today's 10,000 has buying power of about 5,537 after 20 years, a loss of 44.6%.

Buying power: 5,537
Buying power lost: 44.6%

Chart: the nominal amount stays flat, while buying power falls over time. Hold and drag across the chart, or use arrow keys, to read point by point.

Future inflation is an assumption, not a forecast. Not investment advice.

Assumptions & limits

Official inflation is an average basket; your personal basket (rent, education, healthcare) can run hotter or cooler than the headline number. The point of this tool is not precision. It is to make "doing nothing" show its price tag, so that holding cash becomes a decision instead of a default.