How to use the calculator

This calculator estimates how much your child's Child Trust Fund or other savings may be worth in the future. The estimates are based on the answers you give to the questions - only you will know this information – it is not passed on to anyone else.

Please answer the questions by choosing the correct response from the drop-down menu or by typing in the amount. Your answer will appear in the green box. The calculator will automatically work out for you the value of the Child Trust Fund or other savings and show them in a table at the bottom of the screen. To change the numbers either type them in again or click the ‘Reset’ button. To store your information please click the ‘Save’ button – this will allow you to continue at a later date.

Which sort of savings do you want to look at?MORE >>

Child trust fund Other savings

The Child Trust Fund (CTF) is a government scheme to help children build up savings they can use for any purpose once they reach age 18. When your child is born, you receive a government voucher to invest in a CTF for your child. The government adds an extra amount if your household income is low and adds a further amount when your child reaches age seven. (The government is consulting on the possibility of a further sum when your child reaches secondary school age.) You or anyone else can also add up to £1,200 a year to your child's CTF. The savings build up completely or largely tax free. Other savings. You can choose from savings-type accounts (such as bank and building society accounts and National Savings & Investments children's bonus bonds) to share-based investments (such as unit trusts and friendly society 'baby bonds'). Most children receive a return which is completely or largely tax free because they do not have enough income or gains to be taxpayers. << CLOSE

Child trust fund   When was the child born? (DD/MM/YYYY)MORE >>   Only children born on or after 1 September 2002 are eligible to have a Child Trust Fund. << CLOSE   How would you like to invest the government voucher?MORE >> Savings account Share-based account Stakeholder account   Your child's Child Trust Fund can be invested in one of three ways: Savings account. This is like a normal bank or building society savings account with tax-free interest. Generally, it is not the most suitable way of investing for the long-term (meaning ten years or more). Share-based account. The return your child gets is linked to the performance of the stock market. Over the long term, share-based investments have tended to produce much better returns than savings accounts. But there is a risk that the value of the investment can go down as well as up. Stakeholder account. The return your child gets is initially linked to the stock market. But from age 13 onwards, your child's money is progressively shifted into safer investments, similar to a savings account. This locks in gains already made by preventing the value of the investment from falling during the last few years. Generally, this is considered to be the most suitable way to invest a Child Trust Fund. << CLOSE   Date you invest the voucher (DD/MM/YYYY)MORE >>   If you have not invested the voucher within 12 months (in other words, by the expiry date printed on the voucher), HM Revenue and Customs will do it for you, choosing a stakeholder account for your child. << CLOSE   Extra savings to be added to the CTF - £ per monthMORE >> £   You or anyone else can add to your child's Child Trust Fund. The maximum you and/or others can pay into your child's account is £1,200 a year. Therefore, the maximum you should enter here is £100 a month. You can add extra in the form of regular or ad hoc lump sums - for example, on birthdays or at Christmas. If you want to, you can pay in regularly. This calculator lets you explore the effect on your child's savings of paying in a regular amount each month. << CLOSE   What is your yearly household income before tax? £16040 or less More than £16040   By age 18, your child's fund could be worth this much in today's money £ 0   Due to the delay in opening the account, the fund could be worth this much less in today's money than it would have been by age 18 £ 0

Other savings   How long will the savings be invested (years)   Lump sum to be invested at start (£) £   Regular sums to be invested (£ per month) £   How will the money be invested? MORE >> Savings account Share-based account   Savings account. For example, a bank or building society savings account or National Savings & Investments children's bonus bonds. The money invested is eventually repaid in full together with interest. Generally, this is not the most suitable way of investing for the long-term (meaning ten years or more). Share-based account. For example, unit trusts or friendly society 'baby bonds'. The return your child gets is linked to the performance of the stock market. Over the long term, share-based investments have tended to produce much better returns than savings accounts. But there is a risk that the value of the investment can go down as well as up." << CLOSE   By the end of this many years   Your child's investment could be worth this much in today's money £ 0