Financial Deep Dive

The Mechanics of Wealth: Compound Interest

Why time is your biggest ally and your most lethal enemy depending on which side of the ledger you sit.

Compound interest acts as a financial snowball. It is the concept of earning returns on the money you saved, AND generating returns on the returns themselves.

The Mathematical Formula

A = P(1 + r/n)^(nt). Time is nestled firmly in the exponent slot. This means that a 10 year timeline difference literally changes the mathematical realm of the output.

"My wealth has come from a combination of living in America, some lucky genes, and compound interest."
Warren Buffett
  • Time in the market mathematically beats timing the market.
  • Daily compounding beats Annual compounding aggressively over 30 years.