How the cost of waiting calculator works
Why the first missed year hurts most
That first year's contributions compound for the entire horizon — losing it costs not just the deposits but every dollar they would have earned. At 7% over 30 years, one year of a $600/month plan costs ~$57,000 at the end. The next missed year costs slightly less; the pattern rarely makes waiting look better.
Waiting vs saving harder: the trade
Every year of delay can be partially bought back with bigger contributions — the goal-timeline calculator shows the exchange rate. But the buyback is steep: starting 5 years late typically requires 15–25% more per month to reach the same balance. Time is the one input with no substitute price.
The version of waiting that is rational
Waiting is correct when the prerequisite is real: high-interest debt at 20%+ (paying it is a guaranteed 20% return), a missing emergency floor, or an employer match you cannot access yet. Waiting because markets feel high, or because the amount feels too small to matter, is the expensive kind — the calculators here exist to make that distinction visible.