Yes, there is formula to determine the "break-even rate" required to earn a return higher than what taxes and inflation take away. You'll need to use an assumed inflation rate and know your federal marginal tax bracket. Then simply divide the assumed inflation rate by 100 minus your marginal tax bracket. The result is the rate of return that you must exceed in order for your assets to grow.
Here's an example. Assume that you are in the 25% tax bracket and that inflation will average 4% annually. In this case, the break-even rate is 4 divided by 0.75 (100 - 0.25) or 5.3%. You would need to earn an average return of at least 5.3% on all of your investments combined to stay ahead of taxes and inflation.
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