What Is the Rule of 70? (2024)

  • Investing

ByJacqueline DeMarco

Updated on November 24, 2021

Reviewed by

Robert C. Kelly

What Is the Rule of 70? (1)

Reviewed byRobert C. Kelly

Robert Kelly is managing director of XTS Energy LLC, and has more than three decades of experience as a business executive. He is a professor of economics and has raised more than $4.5 billion in investment capital.

learn about our financial review board

In This Article

  • Definition and Examples of the Rule of 70
  • How the Rule of 70 Works
  • Do I Need the Rule of 70?
  • The Rule of 70: Alternatives
  • Pros and Cons of the Rule of 70

What Is the Rule of 70? (2)

Definition

The rule of 70 is a simple mathematical formula that can be used to approximate how long it takes for an investment to double in value.

Key Takeaways

  • The rule of 70 is a basic formula used to estimate how long it will take for an investment to double in value.
  • To use the rule of 70, simply divide 70 by the annual rate of return.
  • The rule of 70 only provides an estimate, not a guarantee, of an investment’s growth potential.

Definition and Examples of the Rule of 70

Investors typically use the rule of 70 to predict the number of years it takes for an investment to double in value based on a specific rate of return (an investment’s gain or loss over a period of time).

The rule of 70 is commonly used to compare investments with different annual interest rates. This makes it simple for investors to figure out how long it may be before they see similar returns on their money from each of the investments.

Let’s say an investor decides to compare rates of return on the investments in their retirement portfolio to get an idea of how long it may take their savings to double. To calculate the doubling time, the investor would simply divide 70 by the annual rate of return. Here’s an example:

  • At a 4% growth rate, it would take 17.5 years for a portfolio to double (70/4)
  • At a 7% growth rate, it would take 10 years to double (70/7)
  • At an 11% growth rate, it would take 6.4 years to double (70/11)
  • Alternate name: Doubling time

How the Rule of 70 Works

Now that you’ve seen the rule of 70 in action, let’s break down the formula so you understand how to apply the rule of 70 to your own investments.

Again, calculating the rule of 70 is pretty straightforward. All you do is divide 70 by the estimated annual rate of return to find out how many years it’ll take for an investment to double in size. For the calculation to work properly, you’ll need to have at least an estimate of the investment’s annual growth or return rate.

Do I Need the Rule of 70?

Keep in mind that the rule of 70 is a rough estimate, but it can come in handy if you want a more concrete way of looking at the potential of a retirement portfolio, mutual fund, or other investment than the interest rate alone could provide. Knowing the number of years it could take to reach a desired value can help youplan which investments to choose for your retirement portfolio, for example.

Let’s say you wanted to pick a precise mix of investments with the potential to grow to a certain value by the time you retire in 20 years. You could use the rule of 70 to calculate the doubling time for each investment under consideration to see if it could help you reach your savings goals by the time you retire.

Note

The rule of 70 has other applications outside of the investment space. For example, the rule of 70 can be used to predict how long it would take for a country's real GDP to double.

Alternatives to the Rule of 70

The rule of 69 and the rule of 72 are two alternatives to the rule of 70. They differ in their accuracy for investments with different compounding frequencies (which measure how often your interest compounds). Both calculations function similarly to the rule of 70, except they divide the annual rate of return by 69 and 72, respectively, to derive the doubling time.

In general, the rule of 69 is considered to be more accurate for calculating doubling time for continuously compounding intervals, especially at lower interest rates. The rule of 70 is deemed more accurate for semi-annual compounding, while the rule of 72 tends to be more accurate for annual compounding.

Pros and Cons of the Rule of 70

While the rule of 70 has some impressive benefits, it also has some downsides:

ProsCons
Strong investment growth prediction modelOnly an estimate
Straightforward formulaRelies on flawed assumptions

Pros Explained

  • Strong investment growth prediction model. The rule of 70 makes it easy to estimate the number of years it may take for an investment to double in value.
  • Straightforward formula. To use the rule of 70, all you have to do isdivide 70 by the annual rate of return.

Cons Explained

  • Only an estimate. While the rule of 70 can provide a well-informed projection of how long it may take an investment’s value to double, the calculation is only an estimate. In addition, that estimate can be thrown off by fluctuating growth rates.
  • Relies on flawed assumptions. Another reason the rule of 70 isn’t always accurate is because it assumes an investment compounds continuously. However, most financial institutions calculate interest less frequently, so this assumption is inherently flawed when it comes to the rule of 70 and its ability to accurately predict growth. (The rule of 69 may be more accurate for continuously compounding investments.)

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Sources

The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. The Kelley Financial Group. “What Is the Rule of 70?” Accessed Aug. 19, 2021.

  2. The Kelley Financial Group. “What Is the Rule of 70?” Accessed Aug. 19, 2021.

  3. Corporate Finance Institute. “What Is the Rule of 72?” Accessed Aug. 19, 2021.

  4. Robinhood. “What Is the Rule of 72?” Accessed Aug. 19, 2021.

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What Is the Rule of 70? (2024)

FAQs

What Is the Rule of 70? ›

The rule of 70 is used to determine the number of years it takes for a variable to double by dividing the number 70 by the variable's growth rate. The rule of 70 is generally used to determine how long it would take for an investment to double given the annual rate of return.

What is the rule of 70 in simple terms? ›

The rule of 70 calculates the years it takes for an investment to double in value. It is calculated by dividing the number 70 by the investment's growth rate. The calculation is commonly used to compare investments with different annual interest rates.

How does the rule of 70 work? ›

The Rule of 70 Formula

Hence, the doubling time is simply 70 divided by the constant annual growth rate. For instance, consider a quantity that grows consistently at 5% annually. According to the Rule of 70, it will take 14 years (70/5) for the quantity to double.

How does the rule of 70 work for retirement? ›

The 70% rule for retirement savings can help you estimate the amount of income you may need in retirement. It says you'll need 70% of your pre-retirement, post-tax income to retire comfortably.

How to calculate the 70 rule? ›

When buying a home to flip, investors need to estimate how much they believe the property could sell for after it's been renovated. They can then multiply that amount by 70% and subtract it from the estimated cost of renovating the property.

What is the rule of 70 for layoffs? ›

Rule of 70 means when an Employee's years of service with the Company or its Affiliates or predecessors (must be at least 10 years, based on 120 months of continuous employment, not calendar years) plus his or her age (must be at least 55 years old) on the date of termination of service equals or exceeds 70.

What is the rule of 70 standard of living? ›

Using the rule of 70, a developed economy will double its output every 25 to 35 years. In contrast, China, a developing economy, has grown at a spectacular average rate of about 7% per year over the last 40 years, thus witnessing a doubling in its standard of living every decade.

What is the best use of the rule of 70? ›

The rule of 70 is used to determine the number of years it takes for a variable to double by dividing the number 70 by the variable's growth rate. The rule of 70 is generally used to determine how long it would take for an investment to double given the annual rate of return.

Is the rule of 70 or 72 more accurate? ›

The number 72 is a better approximation for annual interest compounding at typical rates. For continuous compounding ln (2), which is about 69.3%, will give accurate results for any rate. Daily compounding is close enough to continuous compounding for most purposes, so 69.3 or 70 should be used.

How do you prove the rule of 70? ›

Divide your growth rate by 70 to determine the amount of time it will take for your investment to double. For example, if your mutual fund has a three percent growth rate, divide 70 by three. Thus, the doubling time is 23.33 years because 70 divided by three is 23.33.

What is the $1000 a month rule for retirement? ›

The $1,000 per month rule is designed to help you estimate the amount of savings required to generate a steady monthly income during retirement. According to this rule, for every $240,000 you save, you can withdraw $1,000 per month if you stick to a 5% annual withdrawal rate.

What is the golden rule for retirement? ›

The golden rule of saving 15% of your pre-tax income for retirement serves as a starting point, but individual circ*mstances and factors must also be considered.

Can I retire at 70 with $300 K? ›

The short answer to this question is "Yes." If you've managed to save $300k successfully, there's a good chance you'll be able to retire comfortably, though you will have to make some compromises and consider your plans carefully if you want to make that your final figure.

What is the rule of 70 simple definition? ›

The rule of 70 is an easy method of estimating how quickly a variable will double if you know its annual growth rate. If a variable is growing at a rate of x% per period, you simply take 70 and divide it by x. The rule of 70 is useful for all sorts of applications.

Why does the 70 rule work? ›

The 70% rule of house flipping helps flippers determine a maximum purchase price as they search for real estate investing opportunities. The general basis of the rule is that investors shouldn't pay over 70% of a property's after-repair value (ARV) minus the repair costs necessary to improve the property.

How many houses can I flip in a year? ›

On average, most full-time flippers can successfully flip two to seven houses per year.

What is the rule of 72 in simple terms? ›

It's an easy way to calculate just how long it's going to take for your money to double. Just take the number 72 and divide it by the interest rate you hope to earn. That number gives you the approximate number of years it will take for your investment to double.

What is the rule of 70 in economic growth? ›

The number of years it takes for a country's economy to double in size is equal to 70 divided by the growth rate, in percent. For example, if an economy grows at 1% per year, it will take 70 / 1 = 70 years for the size of that economy to double.

What is the rule of 70 for termination? ›

Requirements of the Rule of 70

The sum of your age and years of plan participation at termination must equal 70 or more.

What is the divisibility rule of 70? ›

70 divides a given number iff both 7 and 10 do. A given number is divisible by 10 iff its last digit is a 0. To test for 7, take the last digit, multiply the last digit 5, and add it to the other truncated digits.

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