Dollar Cost Averaging Calculator

How to use this tool

Enter monthly investment, number of months, expected return, and optional lump-sum amount (defaults to total DCA capital if 0). Optionally enable the volatility path and set the annualized return spread.

Worked example

Investing $500/month for 60 months at 8% versus a $30,000 lump sum shows which path ends ahead under a smooth return; with a ±20% alternating path, the gap between DCA and lump sum typically changes.

How it works

Compares investing the same capital via monthly dollar-cost averaging versus a lump-sum invested at the start. The default path uses a constant annual return; an optional alternating high/low volatility path keeps the same average return so the comparison is less trivial than smooth-growth models suggest.

Limitations

Estimates only for educational purposes. Not financial, tax, or legal advice. Verify figures with your lender, advisor, or official IRS/SSA sources before making decisions.

Privacy and file handling

Your data stays on your device and is not uploaded.

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