How to Turn $10,000 Into $545,507

Holding an S&P 500 index fund over many decades could be a great hands-off growth investing strategy.

| More on:
A person looks at data on a screen

Image source: Getty Images

Albert Einstein once called compound interest “the eighth wonder of the world”. Young investors who reinvest dividends and stay the course can get rich slowly as their portfolio gradually snowballs.

At the Fool, we endorse a similar investing philosophy. Simply put, the Fool method involves picking high-quality stocks and maintaining a long-term perspective. With this approach, anybody can win in the stock market.

Today, I’ll show you how this approach would have worked out historically. I’ll be using the S&P 500 Index as an example, and then providing some examples of exchange-traded funds, or ETFs that track it.

Why invest in an index fund?

Stock picking can be hard. While it can be a fun hobby and lead to beating the market, it can also be time-consuming and result in underperforming the market.

Investing in an index fund offers a painless alternative that requires less research and knowledge. With this approach, you’re seeking to match the average return of a well-known market index.

A popular option here is the S&P 500 Index, which tracks 500 large-cap U.S. stocks. It’s seen as a barometer for U.S. market performance and benchmark for investors to beat.

Over long periods of time, very few investors – professional or retail – manage to consistently beat the S&P 500. By investing in S&P 500 index funds, you get a great portfolio of stocks at a low cost.

An historical example

Imagine you started investing back in 1985 as a 22-year-old with just $10,000. You put it all in an S&P 500 index fund and vowed to hold no matter what happened in the markets, and reinvest any dividends promptly regardless of the current price.

Fast forward 37 years later, your humble $10,000 investment would have grown to $545,507 at an 11.1% annualized rate of return without any additional contributions.

All you did was hold and reinvest dividends. You didn’t panic sell or try to time the market when Black Monday hit in September 1987, the Dot-Com Crash happened in March 2000, the Great Financial Crisis started in November 2007, or COVID-19 crashed the market in January 2020.

Of course, this assumes perfect investment behaviour. The S&P 500 is a fantastic vehicle to grow wealth, but you must remain disciplined and maintain a long-term perspective. Its high rate of growth is of no use if you panic-sell at the first sign of volatility or during a bad crash.

Interested in investing in the S&P 500? The following Canadian-listed ETFs provide exposure to the index at very low management expense ratios:

  • Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF (TSX:VFV)
  • iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF (TSX:XUS)

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium service or advisor. We’re Motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer, so we sometimes publish articles that may not be in line with recommendations, rankings or other content.

Fool contributor Tony Dong has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

More on Stocks for Beginners

dividends grow over time
Stocks for Beginners

The Smartest Growth Stock to Buy With $2,000 Right Now

Do you have $2,000 to invest for the long term? These three TSX stocks have and will continue to deliver…

Read more »

The virtual button with the letters AI in a circle hovering above a keyboard, about to be clicked by a cursor.
Tech Stocks

Is OpenText Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold for 2025?

OpenText stock has fallen in the last few years, but that could mean this top tech stock remains an undervalued…

Read more »

man touches brain to show a good idea
Dividend Stocks

3 No-Brainer REIT Stocks to Buy Right Now for Less Than $200

REITs have long been touted as some of the best dividend stocks out there if you want recurring, strong income.…

Read more »

grow money, wealth build
Dividend Stocks

3 Top High-Yield Stocks to Buy in November

If you want passive income, high yield dividend stocks are the clear choice. These are the best, and safest, out…

Read more »

Stocks for Beginners

Where will Loblaw Stock be in 5 Years?

Want a great food stock that can provide growth and income? Here's why Loblaw stock can offer that and more.

Read more »

A worker overlooks an oil refinery plant.
Dividend Stocks

3 Canadian Infrastructure Stocks to Buy Now

Infrastructure makes up everything we use, from the water we drink to the roads we drive. And these three infra…

Read more »

Sliced pumpkin pie
Stocks for Beginners

Ready to Invest With $2,000? 4 Stocks for November

Got $2,000 to start a new investment portfolio? Try these four high quality Canadian stocks for long-term wealth compounding.

Read more »

cloud computing
Tech Stocks

3 No-Brainer Tech Stocks to Buy Right Now for Less Than $1,000

Not all tech stocks are the risky investments that many think they are. Which is why we're focusing on the…

Read more »