$10,000 Invested Each Decade Since 1980 Now Worth $1.72 Million

How five $10,000 investments in the S&P 500 at the start of each decade performed through 2024

The Details

The 2000s decade produced the lowest annualized returns at 7.5%, yet that $10,000 still multiplied 6x. Even the worst decade for stocks since 1980 beat inflation by 5% annually.

What this means for you

Retirement decisions compound — getting one of these details wrong can cost tens of thousands of dollars over a retirement. The good news: most of these mistakes are completely avoidable if you understand how the rule actually works.

Next step

If you want to see how this applies to your specific situation, take the free Retire Ready Score — a 2-minute assessment that scores your current plan across income, taxes, healthcare, and protection.