See how inflation erodes the purchasing power of your money over time. Calculate future value and understand how much you'll need to maintain current living standards.
An inflation impact calculator shows how rising prices erode purchasing power over time, calculating future costs of goods and services, real investment returns after inflation, and how much money you need to maintain your current lifestyle. Uses historical inflation rates (3-4% average) or custom projections to demonstrate that $100 today might need $150 in 10 years to buy the same items. Essential for retirement planning (ensuring savings last), salary negotiations (requesting inflation-adjusted raises), investment decisions (requiring returns above inflation), and understanding why saving cash loses value while investing builds wealth despite market volatility.
Understand why your parents stories about cheap prices are not just nostalgia—inflation genuinely erodes purchasing power, with a dollar today buying less than half what it bought 30 years ago. Make better investment decisions by recognizing that 5% investment returns are actually 1-2% real returns after 3-4% inflation, while holding cash guarantees losses. Plan retirement more accurately by projecting how much income you need in 20-30 years to maintain your current lifestyle—many under-save by ignoring inflation. Negotiate salary raises effectively by demonstrating that without inflation adjustments (typically 3-4% annually), you are taking real pay cuts. Understand why assets like real estate, stocks, and commodities tend to outpace inflation over time while cash savings lose value.
Enter a dollar amount (current cost or savings), time period (years into future), and expected annual inflation rate (use 3% for long-term average, 2% for recent low inflation, or current CPI rate for short-term projections). Results show future value needed to maintain purchasing power. For retirement planning, enter your current annual expenses and years until retirement to see required future income. For investment evaluation, enter portfolio balance and time horizon to see real growth after inflation. Compare scenarios—see how 2% vs 5% inflation dramatically changes required savings. Use to justify salary increase requests, evaluate investment returns, and plan long-term financial goals accounting for inevitable purchasing power erosion.
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Common questions about inflation impact calculator