Compound interest can help turbocharge your savings and investments, or it can quickly lead to an unruly balance, keeping you stuck in a cycle of debt. Its magic can help you earn more — or owe more.

Elvis Picardo is a regular contributor to Investopedia and has 25+ years of experience as a portfolio manager with diverse capital markets experience. Ali Hussain has a background that consists of a ...

Compound interest grows your investment as returns reinvest and generate additional earnings. Opening savings or money market accounts early optimizes the benefits from compounding. Diverse ...