Emergency Fund Calculator
How much cash to keep for a rough patch, and how long until you have it.
Your emergency fund target (6 months)
$28,800
At $500 a month you’ll get there in 3 years 7 months.
- One month of must-pay bills$4,800
- Saved today covers1.0 months
- Still to save$23,800
Emergency fundTarget
Where to keep it
A high-yield savings account or money market fund: safe, earning interest, and ready the same week. Not in stocks, which can be down exactly when you need the money.
Got it covered? See what investing the rest could grow to
Important — please read
This calculator is an educational tool. It shows a simple, fixed-rate projection: it assumes your money grows at the same rate every year with no interruptions, and it ignores taxes, fees, inflation, market volatility, sequence-of-returns risk, and changes to your contributions or circumstances. Real investment returns vary widely year to year and can be negative. Past performance does not predict future results.
The numbers shown are hypothetical illustrations, not a forecast, a promise, or a recommendation, and nothing here is investment, tax, legal, or financial advice or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security. Paycheck Paradox is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or tax advisor.
Before making any financial decision, talk to a qualified professional — a licensed financial advisor, CPA, or attorney — who can account for your full situation. You are solely responsible for your own decisions.
Provided “as is”, with no warranty of accuracy or fitness for any purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Paycheck Paradox accepts no liability for any loss arising from use of, or reliance on, this tool.