The case for boring, long-term investing
The S&P 500 has been one of the great wealth-building machines of the last century. Despite crashes, recessions and panics, money left invested with dividends reinvested has grown enormously over long periods. This tool puts a real number on that "what if I'd just invested" feeling.
The lesson most people take away isn't about timing the market — it's about time in the market. The earlier the start year, the more dramatic the compounding.
What you're probably wondering
Yes. The figures approximate total return — price appreciation plus reinvested dividends — which is how the S&P 500 is usually measured for long-term performance.
They're approximate, based on historical total-return data. Markets are volatile and past performance doesn't predict the future, so treat this as illustrative.
It tracks 500 of the largest US companies and is the standard proxy for "the US stock market". Most index funds aim to match it.