Generational Savings Calculator
Model savings accounts for kids' cars at 16, college after senior year, postgraduate degrees after college, and home down payments at age 25. Costs are entered in today's dollars and inflated to each milestone.
Children Information
Set age and current grade for milestone timing.
Generational savings path
Combined balances across 2 children over 20 years.
Car milestone
Assumes a car purchase at age 16.
Home down payment milestone
Assumes a down payment at age 25.
College cost assumptions
Enter tuition and board in today's dollars. Future milestone withdrawals inflate from these current costs.
Applied to future milestone withdrawals.
Postgrad degree milestone
Enter postgrad tuition and board in today's dollars. Future withdrawals inflate from these current costs.
Simple Investment Assumptions
Use one starting amount, one monthly contribution, and one market return.
Yearly contribution: $12,000
Custom return
Index presets use approximate 30-year annualized historical total-return averages with dividends reinvested. They are planning assumptions, not forecasts.
Individual account balances
Separate lines show each child's balance and milestone costs.
Child account summary
Balances, contributions, earnings, withdrawals, and milestone coverage by child.
Year-by-year child table
Starting balances, contributions, earnings, and milestone expenses by child for each year from today.
| Year | Child | Starting amount | Contributions | Earnings | Milestone expenses | Ending balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Child 1 | $10K | $12K | $1.7K | $0 | $23.7K |
| 1 | Child 2 | $10K | $12K | $1.7K | $0 | $23.7K |
| 2 | Child 1 | $23.7K | $12K | $3.2K | $0 | $38.9K |
| 2 | Child 2 | $23.7K | $12K | $3.2K | $0 | $38.9K |
| 3 | Child 1 | $38.9K | $12K | $4.7K | $0 | $55.6K |
| 3 | Child 2 | $38.9K | $12K | $4.7K | $0 | $55.6K |
| 4 | Child 1 | $55.6K | $12K | $6.5K | $0 | $74.1K |
| 4 | Child 2 | $55.6K | $12K | $6.5K | $0 | $74.1K |
| 5 | Child 1 | $74.1K | $12K | $8.4K | $0 | $94.5K |
| 5 | Child 2 | $74.1K | $12K | $8.4K | $0 | $94.5K |
| 6 | Child 1 | $94.5K | $12K | $10.6K | $0 | $117.1K |
| 6 | Child 2 | $94.5K | $12K | $10.6K | $0 | $117.1K |
| 7 | Child 1 | $117.1K | $12K | $12.9K | $0 | $142K |
| 7 | Child 2 | $117.1K | $12K | $12.9K | $0 | $142K |
| 8 | Child 1 | $142K | $12K | $15.5K | $0 | $169.6K |
| 8 | Child 2 | $142K | $12K | $15.5K | $0 | $169.6K |
| 9 | Child 1 | $169.6K | $12K | $18.4K | $39.1K | $160.9K |
| 9 | Child 2 | $169.6K | $12K | $18.4K | $0 | $200K |
| 10 | Child 1 | $160.9K | $12K | $17.5K | $0 | $190.4K |
| 10 | Child 2 | $200K | $12K | $21.6K | $0 | $233.6K |
| 11 | Child 1 | $190.4K | $12K | $14.4K | $71.6K | $145.2K |
| 11 | Child 2 | $233.6K | $12K | $25.1K | $41.5K | $229.2K |
| 12 | Child 1 | $145.2K | $12K | $9.5K | $73.7K | $93K |
| 12 | Child 2 | $229.2K | $12K | $24.7K | $0 | $265.9K |
| 13 | Child 1 | $93K | $12K | $3.8K | $75.9K | $32.9K |
| 13 | Child 2 | $265.9K | $12K | $21.9K | $75.9K | $223.9K |
| 14 | Child 1 | $32.9K | $12K | $1K | $78.2K | $10.5K |
| 14 | Child 2 | $223.9K | $12K | $13.3K | $78.2K | $128.2K |
| 15 | Child 1 | $10.5K | $12K | $670 | $127.7K | $10.5K |
| 15 | Child 2 | $128.2K | $12K | $1.7K | $80.6K | $10.5K |
| 16 | Child 1 | $10.5K | $12K | $670 | $131.5K | $10.5K |
| 16 | Child 2 | $10.5K | $12K | $574 | $83K | $10.5K |
| 17 | Child 1 | $10.5K | $12K | $670 | $0 | $10.5K |
| 17 | Child 2 | $10.5K | $12K | $670 | $135.5K | $10.5K |
| 18 | Child 1 | $10.5K | $12K | $670 | $255.4K | $0 |
| 18 | Child 2 | $10.5K | $12K | $592 | $139.5K | $1K |
| 19 | Child 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 19 | Child 2 | $1K | $12K | $776 | $0 | $13.8K |
| 20 | Child 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 20 | Child 2 | $13.8K | $12K | $2.1K | $270.9K | $0 |
About this generational savings calculator
This generational savings calculator models a broad family savings plan for children across multiple future milestones: cars, college, postgraduate degrees, and home down payments.
The model uses today's estimated costs, inflates them to each milestone date, compounds a shared investment balance, and shows whether planned contributions cover the combined future goals.
How to interpret the result
A remaining balance means the modeled savings plan covered each milestone and still had funds left. A shortfall means one or more milestone costs exceeded the projected savings balance.
What to verify
Review realistic tuition, vehicle, graduate school, housing, gifting, tax, aid, and account-ownership assumptions before using the result for a real plan.