The economy is slowing turning around, albeit much slower than most of us would like to see. Rebounding from devalued investment, savings and/or retirement accounts  continues to be a challenge. Learning The Rule of 72 is one of the best tools you can embrace for help in putting a rebound plan together.

Simply put, The Rule of 72 is a quick and easy formula that will give you the number of years it will take to double your money. Using a simple interest rate of 1%, which varies above and below the current bank rates being paid on savings accounts, it would take you approximately 72 years to double your money using the Rule of 72: 72 divided by the rate of return; 1%. Accordingly, a 2% return rate would double your money in 36 years.

A Googled search du jour on CDs, provides for the current average interest rate somewhere between 1.06% for one year CDs on the low end, leveling off at 1.86% for three year CDs. At 1.86%, it will take 38.7 years to double your money. FYI: IRA CD returns were even less.

Discover and Capital One are currently offering a ten year CD at 3% for minimums of $2,500 and $5,000 respectively. It will take 24 years to double your money in this case. Conversely, an invested mix of stocks and bonds with a hypothetical return of 6% would cut that time period in half to 12 years: 72/6 = 12. It is a simple formula to wrap your head around.

The chart to the right (double click to enlarge) further illustrates the relationship between the hypothetical rates of return and the number of years it takes to double an initial investment with  all earnings reinvested.

While CD rates are fixed and may be insured by the FDIC, they offer relatively low returns. On the other hand, stocks and bonds tend to offer higher rates of return, but come with higher risks of loss. Similarly, fund yields and returns may fluctuate and fund shares are not insured. Still, you may be risking the possibility of NOT reaching your goals if you strictly stick to low yielding investments such as CDs.

Consider further, the current annual rate of inflation; 2.11% last month. Economic rebounding is slowed when inflation rates are higher than invested rates of return. The Rule of 72 may provide that a mix of investment vehicles tailored to your own return thresholds and timing needs could be the best plan to work toward.

Kurt Rusch, CLU, ChFC