How to use the calculator
Enter a cash-flow schedule, an Annual rate (%), and a Compounding convention. Select Calculate to get Present value (NPV at t=0), Future value at t=... years, and IRR (annualized) when an IRR is available.
Choose a cash-flow mode
Select one of the three options under Choose a cash flow type:
- One-time cash flow: enter the optional Initial investment ($, optional), Cash flow amount ($), and Timing (years from now).
- Recurring cash flows: enter the optional Initial investment ($, optional), Cash flow per period ($), Number of periods, and Period length (years). Choose Ordinary annuity (end of each period) or Annuity due (start of each period).
- Dated cash flows (custom schedule): enter a Valuation date, then use Add cash flow to add rows. Each row has Date, Label (optional), and Amount ($); remove an unwanted row with its remove control.
Set the rate, convention, and future-value horizon
Enter the annual rate yourself in Annual rate (%). Choose Annual, Semiannual, Quarterly, Monthly, or Continuous under Compounding convention. This choice controls the discount and growth factors.
Use Future value horizon (years, optional) to set the time at which future value is calculated. Enter zero or a positive number, or leave it blank to use the latest cash-flow time. The convention is included in copied and downloaded text, not as a column in the visible cash-flow table.
Calculate and interpret the results
- Choose a cash-flow mode and complete its fields.
- Enter the rate and select the compounding convention.
- Optionally set Future value horizon (years, optional).
- Select Calculate. Use Reset to clear the inputs and start again.
Present value (NPV at t=0) is the total present value of the entered cash-flow stream at time zero. Future value at t=... years moves that result to the selected horizon. IRR (annualized) is shown when the calculation finds one candidate rate.
The result also includes a Timeline and Cash-flow table. The table shows each label, time, signed amount with its inflow or outflow display, discount factor, and present value. Use Copy result or Download result (.txt) to save the calculated text.
Use the sign convention correctly
Enter outflows as negative amounts and inflows as positive amounts. Enter an initial investment as a positive amount; the calculator converts it to an outflow at t=0. Enter signs directly for dated cash flows. A zero amount follows the table’s nonnegative/inflow display branch.
Validation and calculation limits
- Annual rate (%) must parse as a number. The implementation does not set a general maximum or minimum rate; with discrete compounding, rates that make the discount-factor base invalid can produce unusable calculations.
- Initial investment fields cannot be negative. Recurring schedules need at least one period and a period length greater than zero.
- Dated schedules need a valuation date and at least two populated rows. Each populated row needs a valid date and numeric amount.
- The valuation date is
t=0. Dates earlier than it are accepted and produce negative times.
Why IRR may be unavailable or not unique
IRR needs at least one negative and one positive cash flow. If all amounts have the same sign, the calculator reports no solution. A stream with multiple sign changes can have more than one IRR, so the calculator may report that IRR is not unique.
The implementation scans -99.99% to 10,000% for NPV sign changes and bisects the brackets it finds. It reports roots found by that scan; it does not guarantee every mathematical root, especially a root without a sign change.
Browser-side calculation and scope
Calculations run in browser JavaScript, and the tool script does not upload entered cash flows for calculation. You supply the rate; the calculator does not estimate a discount rate, fetch live prices or account data, value a specific security, or provide investment advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between PV, FV, NPV, and IRR?
Present value (NPV at t=0) is the discounted total of the full cash-flow stream at time zero. Future value grows that result to a later horizon. IRR is the annualized rate that makes the stream’s NPV equal to zero when a single candidate is found.
Why does IRR sometimes have no solution or more than one solution?
IRR needs both negative and positive cash flows, so a stream with one sign has no solution. Multiple sign changes can produce multiple roots. The calculator scans a stated rate range and reports no solution or not unique when its scan finds zero or multiple candidate rates.
What sign convention does this calculator use?
Outflows are negative and inflows are positive. Initial investment fields are entered positively and converted to an outflow at t=0; dated amounts use the signs you enter.
Does this tool estimate a discount rate for me?
No. You must supply the discount or compounding rate. The calculator performs the discounting and compounding mathematics; it does not estimate a cost of capital, required return, or market rate.
What compounding conventions are supported?
Annual, Semiannual, Quarterly, Monthly, and Continuous. The selected convention controls the discount and growth factors and is included in copied or downloaded text, but is not shown as a column in the visible result table.