.ramsey-investment-calculator-container {
font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif;
max-width: 700px;
margin: 20px auto;
padding: 25px;
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 10px;
background-color: #fdfdfd;
box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06);
}
.ramsey-investment-calculator-container h2 {
color: #2c3e50;
text-align: center;
margin-bottom: 25px;
font-size: 28px;
font-weight: 600;
}
.ramsey-investment-calculator-container .input-group {
margin-bottom: 18px;
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
}
.ramsey-investment-calculator-container label {
margin-bottom: 8px;
color: #34495e;
font-weight: 500;
font-size: 15px;
}
.ramsey-investment-calculator-container input[type="number"] {
width: 100%;
padding: 12px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 6px;
box-sizing: border-box;
font-size: 16px;
color: #333;
transition: border-color 0.3s ease;
}
.ramsey-investment-calculator-container input[type="number"]:focus {
border-color: #007bff;
outline: none;
box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.25);
}
.ramsey-investment-calculator-container button {
background-color: #28a745; /* Green for growth/investment */
color: white;
padding: 14px 25px;
border: none;
border-radius: 6px;
cursor: pointer;
font-size: 18px;
font-weight: 600;
width: 100%;
margin-top: 20px;
transition: background-color 0.3s ease, transform 0.2s ease;
}
.ramsey-investment-calculator-container button:hover {
background-color: #218838;
transform: translateY(-2px);
}
.ramsey-investment-calculator-container .results {
margin-top: 30px;
padding: 20px;
border-top: 2px solid #eee;
background-color: #f9f9f9;
border-radius: 8px;
}
.ramsey-investment-calculator-container .results h3 {
color: #2c3e50;
text-align: center;
margin-bottom: 20px;
font-size: 24px;
font-weight: 600;
}
.ramsey-investment-calculator-container .results p {
font-size: 17px;
margin-bottom: 12px;
color: #34495e;
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
align-items: center;
}
.ramsey-investment-calculator-container .results p strong {
color: #007bff; /* Blue for emphasis */
font-weight: 700;
font-size: 18px;
}
.ramsey-investment-calculator-container .results p:last-child {
margin-bottom: 0;
padding-top: 10px;
border-top: 1px dashed #e0e0e0;
}
.ramsey-investment-calculator-container .error-message {
color: #dc3545;
margin-top: 15px;
text-align: center;
font-size: 15px;
font-weight: 500;
}
function calculateRamseyInvestment() {
var startingInvestment = parseFloat(document.getElementById('startingInvestment').value);
var monthlyContribution = parseFloat(document.getElementById('monthlyContribution').value);
var annualGrowthRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('annualGrowthRate').value);
var investmentYears = parseFloat(document.getElementById('investmentYears').value);
var resultsDiv = document.getElementById('ramseyInvestmentResults');
var errorDiv = document.getElementById('ramseyInvestmentError');
// Input validation
if (isNaN(startingInvestment) || startingInvestment < 0 ||
isNaN(monthlyContribution) || monthlyContribution < 0 ||
isNaN(annualGrowthRate) || annualGrowthRate 100 ||
isNaN(investmentYears) || investmentYears <= 0) {
errorDiv.textContent = "Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields. Growth rate should be between 0.1% and 100%.";
errorDiv.style.display = 'block';
resultsDiv.style.display = 'none';
return;
}
errorDiv.style.display = 'none';
var r = annualGrowthRate / 100; // Annual growth rate as a decimal
var n = 12; // Compounded monthly
var t = investmentYears; // Years
var totalMonths = n * t;
var monthlyRate = r / n;
// Future Value of Initial Investment (P * (1 + r/n)^(nt))
var futureValueOfInitial = startingInvestment * Math.pow((1 + monthlyRate), totalMonths);
// Future Value of Series of Payments (PMT * (((1 + r/n)^(nt) – 1) / (r/n)))
var futureValueOfContributions = monthlyContribution * ((Math.pow((1 + monthlyRate), totalMonths) – 1) / monthlyRate);
var totalFutureValue = futureValueOfInitial + futureValueOfContributions;
var totalInvested = startingInvestment + (monthlyContribution * totalMonths);
var totalGrowth = totalFutureValue – totalInvested;
document.getElementById('totalInvestedAmount').textContent = '$' + totalInvested.toLocaleString('en-US', { minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2 });
document.getElementById('totalGrowthAmount').textContent = '$' + totalGrowth.toLocaleString('en-US', { minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2 });
document.getElementById('futureValueAmount').textContent = '$' + totalFutureValue.toLocaleString('en-US', { minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2 });
resultsDiv.style.display = 'block';
}
Ramsey Investment Growth Calculator
Your Investment Growth Projection
Total Amount Invested (Your Contributions):
Total Investment Growth (Earnings):
Estimated Future Value:
Understanding the Ramsey Investment Growth Calculator
Dave Ramsey's financial philosophy emphasizes building wealth through consistent, long-term investing, primarily in growth stock mutual funds. This calculator helps you visualize the potential growth of your investments over time, aligning with the principles of compounding and disciplined saving.
How It Works:
This calculator uses the power of compound interest to project the future value of your investments. It takes into account an initial lump sum, regular monthly contributions, and an expected annual growth rate over a specified number of years. The magic of compounding means your earnings also start earning returns, leading to significant wealth accumulation over the long haul.
Key Inputs Explained:
- Starting Investment Amount: This is the initial lump sum you are investing. It could be money from your emergency fund (after it's fully funded), a bonus, or savings you've accumulated.
- Monthly Investment Contribution: This represents the amount you plan to invest consistently each month. Dave Ramsey often recommends investing 15% of your household income into good growth stock mutual funds after you've completed Baby Step 3 (fully funded emergency fund).
- Expected Annual Growth Rate (%): This is the average annual return you anticipate your investments will generate. Historically, good growth stock mutual funds have averaged 10-12% annually over long periods. This calculator uses this rate to project your potential earnings.
- Years to Invest: This is your investment horizon – how many years you plan to keep your money invested. The longer your money is invested, the more time compounding has to work its magic.
Understanding Your Results:
- Total Amount Invested (Your Contributions): This shows the sum of your initial investment plus all your monthly contributions over the entire investment period. It's the total amount of your own money you've put in.
- Total Investment Growth (Earnings): This is the money your investments have earned through compounding. It's the difference between your estimated future value and your total contributions. This figure highlights the power of time and consistent investing.
- Estimated Future Value: This is the projected total value of your investment at the end of your specified investment period, assuming the given growth rate and contributions.
Example Scenario:
Let's say you have a Starting Investment Amount of $5,000. You commit to a Monthly Investment Contribution of $300. You expect an Annual Growth Rate of 10% (a common historical average for growth stock mutual funds) and plan to invest for 30 Years.
- Total Amount Invested (Your Contributions): $5,000 (initial) + ($300/month * 360 months) = $113,000
- Estimated Future Value: Approximately $678,000
- Total Investment Growth (Earnings): Approximately $565,000
As you can see, in this example, your investments could grow by over five times the amount you personally contributed, thanks to the power of compounding over a long period. This calculator is a powerful tool to help you visualize your financial future and stay motivated on your wealth-building journey.