Cash-Bond-Stock Evaluator

By Tae Kim – Financial Tortoise

Compare 51 years of historical returns for cash, bonds, and stocks, and see how each held up over any period you choose.

Time period

1975 — 2025

Drag either handle to set the start and end year. All stats and charts below update instantly.

Growth of $10,000

Cash (T-bills)US bondsUS stocks

Annual returns by year

CashUS bondsUS stocks

About this tool

This evaluator compares 51 years of historical returns (1975–2025) for three core building blocks of a portfolio: short-term Treasury bills (cash), the US total bond market, and the US total stock market. Use the time period selector at the top to explore how each performed over any window within that range.

Data & methodology

  • Cash: 3-month US Treasury Bills (Ibbotson SBBI / FRED TB3MS). Interest-only; each year's return assumes rolling into new bills at maturity.
  • Bonds: Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index / Vanguard Total Bond Market (VBMFX, BND) splice. Total return with coupon interest reinvested.
  • Stocks: CRSP US Total Market Index / Vanguard Total Stock Market (VTSMX, VTI) splice. Total return with dividends reinvested.
  • Volatility is the standard deviation of annual returns. Annualized return is the compound annual growth rate.

Disclaimer

All figures are annual total returns in USD and are not inflation-adjusted. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This tool is for educational purposes only and is not investment advice.