What if you invested monthly in the S&P 500 for 15 years?
Starting in 2011 captures mostly the long recovery after the financial-crisis bottom, so watch out for the 'good-window illusion' of a shallow-looking drawdown.
Investment conditions
Asset · S&P 500 (SPY)
Method · Recurring monthly investment
Period · 2011-07-01 ~ 2026-07-01
Amount · $222 / month
As of · 2026-07-01
Key metrics
These results do not reflect taxes. Based on historical data.
Risk & recovery
As important as returns. This service does not hide maximum drawdown or loss periods.
Maximum drawdown (MDD)
-33.4%
Largest drop from peak
Longest loss period
4months
Months in loss: 4
Recovery period
4months
Growth over time
Invested principal (dashed) and portfolio value (solid). Values below match the calculation.
Total invested $40,222 → Final value $135,999 (+238.1%), Maximum drawdown (MDD) -33.4%
Why this period and asset
July 2011 came well after the 2008 crisis bottom of March 2009. The following 15 years include the long 2010s bull market, the late-2018 selloff, the 2020 COVID crash and swift rebound, the 2022 rate-hike decline, and the AI rally. Because the worst 'bottom' had already passed before the start, this window is relatively rich in recovery phases.
Interpreting the result
Fifteen years is long enough for compounding to work, but you must remember the start sits after a crisis bottom. This window still held a short, deep maximum drawdown (2020 COVID) and a longer stretch of losses and recovery (2022). If the declines look relatively shallow, that may reflect a favorable starting point rather than the index being safe. Change the start year and the picture shifts, so viewing several periods together is the honest approach.
Caveats & limits
Taxes, fees, and currency effects are not included. The result depends on this specific start year; other start dates can show deeper drawdowns and longer loss periods. Past performance is no guarantee, and as a dollar asset, returns in another currency depend on exchange rates.
Data sources & limits
- Price data source: Yahoo Finance / FinanceDataReader
- Collected on: 2026-07-23
- Effective trading date: 2026-07-01
- Price basis: Cierre ajustado (refleja dividendos y desdoblamientos de acciones)
- Trading fees and taxes are not reflected — figures are pre-tax.
- Based on historical data; does not guarantee future returns.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the drawdown look shallower than expected?
Starting in 2011 is after the 2008 crisis bottom, so the worst decline is already behind you. Moving the start earlier can show a deeper maximum drawdown.
How are currency effects handled?
The calculation is based on asset prices and does not separately model currency moves. A local-currency investor's real outcome depends on the exchange rate.
How does this differ from 10 or 20 years?
The number of crises captured and the start point differ, changing drawdown, loss period, and final multiple. Comparing related periods together reduces the illusion.
Related scenarios
📋 Los resultados se basan en datos históricos; las rentabilidades pasadas no garantizan rentabilidades futuras.
📋 Este servicio se ofrece con fines educativos para ayudarte a entender la inversión, no como asesoramiento de inversión.