$500 a month in the S&P 500 since 2020
Investing $500 every month in an S&P 500 index fund from January 2020 to Sep 2026 added up to $40,500. With dividends reinvested, it would be worth about $71,438.
Real monthly S&P 500 data, updated monthly. How we calculate$500 a month into the S&P 500 since Jan 2020 is worth
You would have put in $40,500 over 81 monthly buys.
If you had invested the whole $40,500 in Jan 2020, it would be worth $104,030. S&P 500 monthly average prices, dividends reinvested (recent months use the last reported dividend, Jun 2023). Data through Sep 2026. One buy per month at that month's average price; no fees or taxes. Past returns do not predict future returns.
The result
That is 81 monthly buys. The balance ended at 1.8× the money put in, a money-weighted return of 16.9% a year. Without reinvesting dividends it would be $68,023, so dividends added $3,414.
Prices rose along the way, so the deposits are worth more in today's money than their face value: $40,500 of deposits equals about $45,841 in today's dollars. Even measured that way, the plan ended 1.6× ahead.
The hardest stretch: the balance fell 9% from its high around Apr 2025, during the 2025 tariff sell-off. Someone who kept buying through that drop bought shares cheaply, which is a large part of the final number.
| After | Put in | Worth |
|---|---|---|
| 5 years (2024) | $30,000 | $45,485 |
| Now (Sep 2026) | $40,500 | $71,438 |
How the balance grew, with dividends reinvested. No fees or taxes.
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Common questions
How much is $500 a month in the S&P 500 since 2020 worth today?
About $71,438 as of Sep 2026, from $40,500 invested, with dividends reinvested and no fees or taxes.
What was the yearly return?
16.9% a year, measured as a money-weighted return that accounts for when each monthly deposit went in.
What was the worst moment?
A 9% fall from the previous high around Apr 2025, during the 2025 tariff sell-off. The plan only reached today's value because the buying continued.
Will the next 7 years be the same?
Nobody knows. Past returns do not predict future returns, and the S&P 500 has had decade-long stretches with little gain.
Based on the S&P 500 monthly average level with dividends reinvested (an index fund before its small fee). Educational estimates, not investment advice. Past returns do not predict future returns.
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