Strip tax and inflation out of a nominal return to see what your money really earns.
How to read the results
Tax reduces the nominal return, then the result is deflated by inflation.
Real return calculator
Strip tax and inflation out of a nominal return to see what your money really earns.
Built and reviewed by Dovanic, Founder and editor, FreeByteLast reviewed: 2026-08-18
$
8.0%
3.0%
15%
20 yr
Real return after tax
3.69%
Value in today's money
$206,386
- After-tax nominal return
- 6.80%
- Lost to inflation each year
- 3.11%
- Nominal value then
- $372,756
Methodology
Tax reduces the nominal return, then the result is deflated by inflation.
- · A single blended tax rate
- · Constant inflation
Estimates only. Nothing here is financial advice. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and it gets fixed.