What is the “Time Value of Money”?

Transcript of Podcast Episode 394

Hello, this is Bill Rainaldi, with another edition of Security Mutual’s SML Planning Minute. In today’s episode: what is the “time value of money”?

Simple question: what is worth more: a dollar you earn today, or a dollar you earn next year? Most people instinctively know that a dollar earned today is worth more. After all, that’s an extra dollar you can spend now on whatever you want. But understanding why is a critical financial concept that few people really understand, and one that applies to pretty much everything when you talk about personal finance.

The concept is generally known as the “time value of money.” It’s an idea that runs through almost every decision a business or financially sophisticated individual makes. According to the Harvard Business School, the time value of money means that “a sum of money’s value depends on how long you wait to use it; the sooner you use it, the more valuable it is.”[1] In other words, the money you have today is worth more than the same amount that you receive in the future because you have the opportunity to invest that money right now and earn a return on it.

Figuring it all out in detail involves a rather complicated series of formulas. We won’t get into the formulas here, but Microsoft Excel has tools to help make the calculation process easier. The basic idea is that, if nothing else, you can take the dollar you earn today and invest it. At the end of the year, that dollar will be worth more than the new one you receive at the start of the next year. If your assumed interest rate is six (6) percent, that first dollar will be worth $1.06 by the time the second one arrives.

I know it doesn’t seem like much of a difference. But after 20 years, the value of that dollar at the same 6% would be $3.21. And remember, we’re generally talking about much bigger sums. And compounding, that is, repeating this process over an extended period of time, can make the impact much more significant as the years go by. And when you’re considering a regular payment, such as a mortgage or an annuity, the difference adds up even more.

Compounding is something we touched on in two recent episodes, one about reverse mortgages and the other about Trump Accounts. As Albert Einstein is alleged to have said, compound interest is “the most powerful force in the universe.”[2] Whether he actually uttered those exact words or not, many present and future retirees understand the value of saving early.

The math is equally important but gets more awkward when you want to reverse the process. What is that dollar you’re going to get a year from now worth today? This is where a spreadsheet can help. The answer is just over 94 cents. If it’s two years, it’s about 88 cents. In five years, just under 75 cents.

As you might suspect, inflation is a key consideration when it comes to the time value of money. There’s another reason a dollar earned today is worth more than a dollar earned in the future. Your money will likely be able to buy less in the future than it does today, simply because prices of most goods and services tend to go up over time.

Uncertainty also plays a role. Assume someone owes you money, but the payment is due a year from now. The problem is that things could change over the next year. They might move away, or declare bankruptcy, or decide they don’t like you anymore. Nothing is certain until you actually have the money in hand. Note that if there’s additional risk that you’re not going to get the money in time, or at all, many financial pros will try to handle this using a higher assumed interest rate, or “discount rate.”

There are some other areas where the time value of money is a key consideration. One often overlooked example is deciding on whether to make a home improvement that adds to the value of your house. Another might be weighing the pros and cons of buying vs. leasing a car. Yet another might be your decision on when to collect Social Security.

Another concept that comes into play—and one that many people rarely consider—is opportunity cost. Once you understand the time value of money, opportunity cost becomes much easier to recognize.

There are tradeoffs in any financial decision. Opportunity cost can be defined as the value of what you give up when you forgo one choice in favor of another.[3]

Opportunity cost comes along more often than most people realize. The truth is that you finance every major purchase you make, even if you’re using cash. If you buy a new car and use your available cash, it will save some money. Since there’s no loan, there’s no cost to you in terms of interest payments. But there is still opportunity cost. By paying cash, you’ve given up the opportunity to invest that money elsewhere and earn interest and/or dividends on it. This is a concept few people think through thoroughly. To put it another way, if you want something, you must give up something else. It’s just not always easy to see.

You don’t need to understand the complicated mathematical formulas behind the time value of money. You just need to understand the concept. It can—and should—help you make some of your most important financial decisions.

Confused about things like the time value of money or opportunity cost? Your Security Mutual Life insurance agent can help. Your Security Mutual Life insurance agent can augment or help assemble your financial team and coordinate with your attorneys and tax professionals to review your situation and to determine the insurance plan that will best suit your needs and objectives.

[1] Cote, Catherine. “Time Value of Money (TVM): A Primer.” HBS.org. https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/time-value-of-money (accessed July 14, 2026).

[2] Schleckser, Jim. “Why Einstein Considered Compound Interest the Most Powerful Force in the Universe.” Inc.com. https://www.inc.com/jim-schleckser/why-einstein-considered-compound-interest-most-powerful-force-in-universe.html (accessed July 14, 2026).

[3] Munsey, Bobbie Anne. “8 Opportunity Cost Examples (Plus Definition and Uses).” Indeed.com. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/opportunity-cost-examples (accessed July 13, 2026).

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