How Much Interest Would You Earn on a Million Dollars? (2024)

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Personal Finance

Updated May 02, 2023

4-min read

How Much Interest Would You Earn on a Million Dollars? (1)

Written byJeff Gitlen, CEPF®

How Much Interest Would You Earn on a Million Dollars? (2)

Written byJeff Gitlen, CEPF®

Expertise:Student loans, personal loans, home loans, insurance, credit cards

Jeff Gitlen, CEPF®, is the director of content operations at LendEDU. He graduated from the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics at the University of Delaware.

Learn more about Jeff Gitlen, CEPF®

“If only I had a million dollars in the bank.” Who hasn’t pondered that at one time or another? But have you ever wondered how much interest one million dollars earns per year?

Interest rates on savings vehicles are currently still pretty low, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). As of February 3rd 2021, the average rate nationally on savings accounts is 0.05% APY and 0.06% APY for jumbo ($100,000 deposit or more) money market accounts.

Scroll down to see how much interest you might generate with various savings vehicles.

On this page:

  • Interest from Investing in the Stock Market
  • Interest from High-Interest Savings Accounts
  • Interest from Savings Accounts
  • Interest from Certificate of Deposit (CD)
  • Interest from Treasury Savings Bond

Interest on a Million Dollars: Various Savings Vehicles

Investing in the Stock Market

There are many ways to invest in the stock market. You can pick individual stocks, invest in a diversified portfolio through an ETF or mutual fund, or passively invest your money through a robo-advisor.

According to Investopedia, the average annual return from the S&P 500 since its inception has been around 10%. So, if you invested your $1,000,000, it would generate $100,000 in interest in the first year ($1,000,000 X 0.10 = $100,000). If you let it compound annually for 10 years, you would generate $1,593,742 in returns for a total of over $2,1593,742.

High-Interest Savings Accounts

The advent of online-only banking has created an entirely new field of competitive savings accounts featuring high interest rates, which are generally reserved for intermediate-term savings or emergency funds.

The absence of brick-and-mortar locations and staff to operate them have reduced the overhead costs of these banks who then pass those savings to their customers in the form of higher interest rates and low or no fees.

As an example, Chime Bank offers a high-interest savings account with an APY of 0.50%, as of February 3rd 2021. That would translate into $5,000 of interest on one million dollars after a year of monthly compounding. The 10-year earnings would be $51,140.13.

The rates on both traditional andhigh-interest savings accountsare variable, which means the rates can go up or down over time. These earnings projections are based on the initial rate, which is likely to change.

Bank Savings Accounts

Traditional savings accounts, generally reserved for short-term savings, available at banks generally yield low rates of interest. As noted above, the average rate on savings accounts as of February 3rd 2021, is 0.05% APY.

A million-dollar deposit with that APY would generate $500 of interest after one year ($1,000,000 X 0.0005 = $500). If left to compound monthly for 10 years, it would generate $5,011.27.

Certificates of Deposit

Certificates of Deposits (CDs) are time deposits that pay higher interest rates the longer the money is held on deposit. These are great if you need the money after a certain short-term time period. The money must remain on deposit for the entire length of the CD term or you will forfeit a portion of your interest earnings.

As of February 3rd, 2021, the average rate on a jumbo 24-month CD is 0.21% APY. The interest earned on this would be $4,204.41.

When the CD matures it must be rolled into another CD to continue earning interest. Generally, if you think interest rates will increase significantly in the next few years, you might be better off choosing a short-term CD (12 months or less) so it can be rolled over into a higher-yielding CD after rates have risen.

Treasury Savings Bonds

Treasury savings bonds offering fairly decent rates of interest can be purchased directlyfrom the U.S. Treasury Department. For example, the I Savings Bond currently yields 1.68%, which can be held for 30 years and redeemed without penalty after five years. The problem is the maximum purchase of Treasury savings bonds is limited to $10,000 per calendar year.

There are also other options that you may want to consider depending on the markets such as Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS). TIPS can be purchased up to $5 million in 5-, 10-, and 30-year maturities. They can be held to maturity or sold on the open market for current market value. TIPS pay a fixed interest rate which is adjusted each year for inflation.

Final Thoughts

It is important to keep in mind that there are coupons that are paid on some bonds that trigger taxes along the way. Also, while it may be an insignificant amount of money, there are capital gains taxes that are assessed on savings and CDs.

>> Read More: How much do you need to live off interest?

How Much Interest Would You Earn on a Million Dollars? (2024)

FAQs

How Much Interest Would You Earn on a Million Dollars? ›

The average returns for mutual funds is 4.67%. With $1,000,000 invested, you will get $46,700 per year in interest. A lot of retirees gradually shift to more stable retirement income funds.

Can you live off interest of $1 million dollars? ›

Once you have $1 million in assets, you can look seriously at living entirely off the returns of a portfolio. After all, the S&P 500 alone averages 10% returns per year. Setting aside taxes and down-year investment portfolio management, a $1 million index fund could provide $100,000 annually.

How much interest does $1 million dollars earn per year? ›

How much interest does $1 million make per year? Forbes reports that, on average, investors can expect about a 10% annual return on the S&P 500 — that's $100,000 per year, provided you reinvest at least some of the dividends. However, your return depends on several different factors.

How much income will $1 million generate? ›

Saving a million dollars is a big achievement, but many Americans fear it won't be enough. One rule of thumb suggests $1 million would generate around $40,000 each year, adjusted upward for inflation. Instead of picking a figure, work out what income you might need in your old age and work backward from there.

How do millionaires live off interest? ›

Living off interest involves relying on what's known as passive income. This implies that your assets generate enough returns to cover your monthly income needs without the need for additional work or income sources. The ideal scenario is to use the interest and returns while preserving the core principal.

How many people have $1,000,000 in savings? ›

If you have more than $1 million saved in retirement accounts, you are in the top 3% of retirees. According to EBRI estimates based on the latest Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 3.2% of retirees have over $1 million in their retirement accounts, while just 0.1% have $5 million or more.

Can I retire at 65 with 1 million dollars? ›

SmartAsset: Can I retire at 65 with $1 million? Based on our numbers above, you can expect anywhere from $80,000 to $180,000 per year in your retirement depending on how you decide to build your portfolio and what Social Security income you can expect.

What is the best investment for a million dollars? ›

Below are some of our favorite strategies to put your money to work to continue building wealth.
  1. Invest in the stock market. ...
  2. Invest in bonds. ...
  3. Invest in ETFs. ...
  4. Invest with a robo-advisor. ...
  5. Private lending or P2P lending. ...
  6. Invest in a business. ...
  7. Invest in rental properties. ...
  8. Invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs)

How to invest $1 million dollars for passive income? ›

Options for Generating Passive Income
  1. Money Market Funds. While generally considered an alternative to holding cash in a savings account, money market funds have become a popular topic among investors amid rate increases. ...
  2. Municipal Bonds. ...
  3. Certificates of Deposit. ...
  4. Dividend Stocks. ...
  5. Other Options.
Mar 25, 2024

Can you put 1 million into a CD? ›

Yes, you can place $1 million in a CD account. However, it's important to note that while most banks and credit unions offer CD accounts, some may have maximum deposit limits. Before opening an account, check with your financial institution to understand their specific policies.

Is 1 million dollars in a 401k good? ›

In more than 20 U.S. states, a million-dollar nest egg can cover retirees' living expenses for at least 20 years, a new analysis shows. It's worth noting that most Americans are nowhere near having that much money socked away.

Are you considered rich if you have $1 million dollars? ›

Additionally, statistics show that the top 2% of the United States population has a net worth of about $2.4 million. On the other hand, the top 5% wealthiest Americans have a net worth of just over $1 million. Therefore, about 2% of the population possesses enough wealth to meet the current definition of being rich.

Can I retire at 65 if I have $1 million in a 401k and will receive $2500 monthly from Social Security? ›

Here, say that you have $1 million in a 401(k) or IRA, and expect to receive $2,500 per month in Social Security payments, a number right in the mid-range of possible benefits. Can you retire at 65? Well, it certainly depends on your standard of living. But for most people the answer is yes.

Where do millionaires keep their money if banks only insure 250k? ›

Millionaires can insure their money by depositing funds in FDIC-insured accounts, NCUA-insured accounts, through IntraFi Network Deposits, or through cash management accounts. They may also allocate some of their cash to low-risk investments, such as Treasury securities or government bonds.

Do people keep millions in the bank? ›

High net worth investors typically keep millions of dollars or even tens of millions in cash in their bank accounts to cover bills and unexpected expenses. Their balances are often way above the $250,000 FDIC insured limit.

What bank do millionaires use? ›

1. JP Morgan Private Bank. “J.P. Morgan Private Bank is known for its investment services, which makes them a great option for those with millionaire status,” Kullberg said. “With J.P. Morgan, each client is given access to a panel of experts, including experienced strategists, economists and advisors.”

How much money do you need in the bank to live off interest? ›

Key takeaways: The typical American making $40,480 a year needs at least $826k invested with a 4.9% annual return to live off interest alone. Estimate how much you need invested to live off interest with the formula: Annual income / Annual interest rate = Savings goal.

How much return on a 1 million dollar investment? ›

Stocks are a popular investing choice; historically, they have delivered an average yearly return of about 10%. This means that a $1 million investment in the stock market could potentially earn you around $100,000 per year in interest.

How to invest $1 million dollars for monthly income? ›

Some of the strategies to consider when turning $1 million into passive retirement income include:
  1. Purchasing an annuity.
  2. Choosing dividend stocks.
  3. Buying fixed-income securities.
  4. Starting a business.
  5. Investing in real estate.
  6. Building a portfolio.
Jan 30, 2024

How much interest does $50,000 earn in a year? ›

CDs offer a fixed interest rate for a set term, while high-yield savings accounts provide more flexibility. The interest you can earn on $50,000 in one year can range from $2,125 to $3,000 depending on the interest rate.

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