What is a reasonable investment return?

Asked by: Dr. Frederik Turner III  |  Last update: August 29, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (72 votes)

Most investors would view an average annual rate of return of 10% or more as a good ROI for long-term investments in the stock market. However, keep in mind that this is an average. Some years will deliver lower returns -- perhaps even negative returns. Other years will generate significantly higher returns.

Is 7% return on investment realistic?

The key to this whole equation is being conservative with your return estimate, and instead concentrating on what you can actually control, the savings rate. So in a nutshell, my opinion is that you would be fortunate to average around 7-8% rate of return over a long-term basis.

Is 5% a year a good return?

General ROI: A positive ROI is generally considered good, with a normal ROI of 5-7% often seen as a reasonable expectation. However, a strong general ROI is something greater than 10%. Return on Stocks: On average, a ROI of 7% after inflation is often considered good, based on the historical returns of the market.

What would be considered a good return on investment?

According to conventional wisdom, an annual ROI of approximately 7% or greater is considered a good ROI for an investment in stocks. This is also about the average annual return of the S&P 500, accounting for inflation.

What is a normal investment return rate?

It is difficult to know how much to invest in stocks or for how long you need to hold that investment. The truth is that, historically, the stock market averages around a 10% rate of return, not considering inflation.

What Return Should Investors Reasonably Expect?

18 related questions found

What is a normal rate of return on investment?

The average stock market return is about 10% per year, as measured by the S&P 500 index, but that 10% average rate is reduced by inflation. Investors can expect to lose purchasing power of 2% to 3% every year due to inflation. » Learn about purchasing power with the inflation calculator.

How much money do I need to invest to make $3,000 a month?

$3,000 X 12 months = $36,000 per year. $36,000 / 6% dividend yield = $600,000. On the other hand, if you're more risk-averse and prefer a portfolio yielding 2%, you'd need to invest $1.8 million to reach the $3,000 per month target: $3,000 X 12 months = $36,000 per year.

What is a good return on a 401k?

Many retirement planners suggest the typical 401(k) portfolio generates an average annual return of 5% to 8% based on market conditions. But your 401(k) return depends on different factors like your contributions, investment selection and fees.

What is a good 10 year return on investment?

A good return on investment is generally considered to be around 7% per year, based on the average historic return of the S&P 500 index, adjusted for inflation. The average return of the U.S. stock market is around 10% per year, adjusted for inflation, dating back to the late 1920s.

Is 12% return on investment realistic?

And based on the history of the market, 12% is not some magic, unrealistic number. It's actually a pretty reasonable bet for your long-term investments.

What is a realistic return on investments?

Most investors would view an average annual rate of return of 10% or more as a good ROI for long-term investments in the stock market. However, keep in mind that this is an average.

How to get a guaranteed 5% return?

9 investments to consider for guaranteed returns
  1. Dividend stocks. ...
  2. Certificates of deposit (CDs) ...
  3. Money market account. ...
  4. U.S. Treasury Securities. ...
  5. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) ...
  6. High-yield savings accounts. ...
  7. Municipal bonds. ...
  8. Annuities.

Is a 6% return realistic?

Be wary of commentators or advisors who tell you you should be getting 10% or more each year on your portfolio, especially if you're closer to retirement. A 6% annual increase in your portfolio is a more realistic goal. Some years it will be much higher, other years it may be much lower (even negative).

What is Warren Buffett's annual return?

Their partnership in managing Berkshire produced arguably the most remarkable extended performance for investors ever recorded. Since they began operating Berkshire in 1965, the stock has risen at an annualized pace of 19.8%. The S&P 500 has had an annualized return of 10.2% during the same timeframe.

What is the 3 5 7 rule of investing?

The 3 5 7 rule is a risk management strategy in trading that emphasizes limiting risk on each individual trade to 3% of the trading capital, keeping overall exposure to 5% across all trades, and ensuring that winning trades yield at least 7% more profit than losing trades.

What is the safest investment with the highest return?

Here are some ways investors can take less risk but still generate a decent return:
  • High-yield savings accounts.
  • Money market funds.
  • Certificates of deposit (CDs).
  • Corporate bonds.
  • Treasurys.
  • Dividend stocks.
  • Preferred shares.

How much money do I need to invest to make $1000 a month?

Invest in Dividend Stocks

Last but certainly not least, a stock portfolio focused on dividends can generate $1,000 per month or more in perpetual passive income. However, at an example 4% dividend yield, you would need a portfolio worth $300,000, which is a substantial upfront investment.

How to become a millionaire in 10 years investing?

If you start putting away $300 a month beginning at age 25, assuming an 11% rate of return, you could be a millionaire by age 57. If you kept on investing and retire 10 years later, you'd be sitting pretty on a $3.2 million nest egg. And that's just $300 a month!

Does a 401k double every 7 years?

One of those tools is known as the Rule 72. For example, let's say you have saved $50,000 and your 401(k) holdings historically has a rate of return of 8%. 72 divided by 8 equals 9 years until your investment is estimated to double to $100,000.

Is a Roth IRA better than a 401k?

Unlike a traditional IRA or a traditional 401(k), the Roth IRA is one of the few tax-advantaged accounts that allows you to withdraw the money you've contributed at any time for any reason without paying taxes or penalties.

How much do you need to invest to be a millionaire in 5 years?

Let's say you want to become a millionaire in five years. If you're starting from scratch, online millionaire calculators (which return a variety of results given the same inputs) estimate that you'll need to save anywhere from $13,000 to $15,500 a month and invest it wisely enough to earn an average of 10% a year.

How much money do you have to make a month to make $100000 a year?

A $100,000 salary can yield a monthly income of $8,333.33, a biweekly paycheck of $3,846.15, a weekly income of $1,923.08, and a daily income of $384.62 based on 260 working days per year.

How to invest $100 000 to make $1 million?

4 Good Investment Choices for Turning $100k into $1 Million
  1. Real Estate. Real estate remains a solid option for those wondering how to invest 100k to make $1 million in 10 years or less. ...
  2. Stock Market. ...
  3. Index Funds or ETFs. ...
  4. Buying Established Businesses/Websites.