Monthly returns

Follow a $10,000 investment through the year — your balance at the end of every month, in dollars and percent.

Ticker

Which strategy won in 2026 so far?

Same $10,000 into VT, two ways: everything on day one (lump sum), or $833 at the start of every month (dollar-cost averaging).

Lump sum ends with
$11,193
+11.93% · all in on day one
DCA ends with
$10,375
+7.49% on $5,000 paid in, plus $5,000 cash still waiting
Difference
+$818
Investing everything on day one won in 2026 so far.

Lump sum: $10,000 into VT on day one

You invest the whole $10,000 at the start of 2026. Follow your balance month after month — the last column shows how many days that month jumped or fell 1% or more. The current month is still running, so it is not shown yet.

MonthYour balanceChange that monthChange in %Big days (±1%+)
Jan$10,311+$311+3.11%2
Feb$10,481+$169+1.64%3
Mar$9,829−$652-6.22%11
Apr$10,744+$915+9.31%5
May$11,236+$492+4.58%5
Jun$11,193−$43-0.38%8
You invested
$10,000
all in on day one
You end with
$11,193
by the end of Jun 2026
Result
+$1,193
+11.93%

Dollar-cost averaging: $833 into VT every month

Instead of investing everything at once, you split the same $10,000 into 12 equal parts and invest $833 at the start of every month of 2026.

MonthPaid in so farYour balanceChange that monthChange in %Big days (±1%+)
Jan$833$859+$26+3.11%2
Feb$1,667$1,720+$28+1.64%3
Mar$2,500$2,395−$159-6.22%11
Apr$3,333$3,529+$301+9.31%5
May$4,167$4,562+$200+4.58%5
Jun$5,000$5,375−$21-0.38%8
You paid in
$5,000
$833 × 6 months
You end with
$5,375
by the end of Jun 2026
Gain
+$375
+7.49% on the money paid in