What Is the Rule of 70? (2024)

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.

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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 a way of estimating the time it takes to double a number based on its growth rate. It can also be referred to as doubling time. The rule of 70 calculation uses a specified rate of return to determine how many years it'll take for an amount—or a particular investment—to double.

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 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.

How do you solve the rule of 70? ›

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.

What is the rule of 70 so useful? ›

The Rule of 70 is a calculation that determines how many years it takes for an investment to double in value based on a constant rate of return. Investors use this metric to evaluate various investments, including mutual fund returns and the growth rate for a retirement portfolio.

What is the rule of 70 quizlet? ›

If a variable is growing by x% per period, the doubling time would equal approximately: 70 ÷ x periods. In order for a certain variable to double in N years, the growth rate of that variable must be approximately: 70 ÷ N% per year.

Why is it called the rule of 70? ›

The rule of 70 (and 72) comes from the natural log of 2 which is 0.693.. or 69.3%. Basically this is rounded to 70 (or 72) to make doing the math in your head easier. It's not 100% accurate but usually when you are asking about the doubling time of a rate by quick mental estimate, a little error doesn't matter.

What is the rule of 70 proof? ›

Using the Rule of 70

For example, if an economy grows at 1 percent per year, it will take 70/1=70 years for the size of that economy to double. If an economy grows at 2 percent per year, it will take 70/2=35 years for the size of that economy to double.

What is the rule of 70 science? ›

There is an important relationship between the percent growth rate and its doubling time known as “the rule of 70”: to estimate the doubling time for a steadily growing quantity, simply divide the number 70 by the percentage growth rate.

How do you use the rule of 70 to answer the questions on 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 is a formula for determining the approximate? ›

The "rule of 7 0 " is a formula for determining the approximate number of Oyears that it would take for a value ( like real GDP ) to expand 7 0 times. years that it would take for a value ( like real GDP ) to double. times a value ( like real GDP ) is a multiple of 7 0 .

Why is the Rule of 72 useful if the answer will not be exact? ›

The rule of 72 can help you get a rough estimate of how long it will take you to double your money at a fixed annual interest rate. If you have an average rate of return and a current balance, you can project how long your investments will take to double.

What does rule of 70 mean in population? ›

The rule of 70 is a way to estimate the time it takes to double a number based on its growth rate. The formula is as follows: Take the number 70 and divide it by the growth rate. The result is the number of years required to double. For example, if your population is growing at 2%, divide 70 by 2.

What is the 70 rule? ›

Put simply, the 70 percent rule states that you shouldn't buy a distressed property for more than 70 percent of the home's after-repair value (ARV) — in other words, how much the house will likely sell for once fixed — minus the cost of repairs.

What is the benefits rule of 70? ›

Eligibility for Retiree Health and Life Insurance Benefits

Rule of 70: the employee's age plus years of continuous, full-time service equal 70 or more, and the employee is at least age 55, with at least ten years of continuous, full-time service.

What is the rule of 70 in science? ›

There is an important relationship between the percent growth rate and its doubling time known as “the rule of 70”: to estimate the doubling time for a steadily growing quantity, simply divide the number 70 by the percentage growth rate.

What is the rule of 70 for population? ›

Explanation of the Rule of 70

The formula is as follows: Take the number 70 and divide it by the growth rate. The result is the number of years required to double. For example, if your population is growing at 2%, divide 70 by 2. The result is 35; it will take 35 years for your population to double at a 2% growth rate.

What is the rule of 70 for retirement? ›

The 70% rule for retirement savings suggests that your estimated retirement spending should be about 70% of your pre-retirement, after-tax income. For example, if you take home $100,000 a year, your annual spending in retirement would be about $70,000, or just over $5,800 a month.

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