Could investing £20,000 in a Stocks and Shares ISA make me a millionaire?

Ben McPoland takes a look at how many years it might take to grow a £20k Stocks and Shares ISA portfolio to a million pounds.

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Some investors aspire to build a seven-figure Stocks and Shares ISA portfolio. The good news is that many have already trailblazed a path to ISA millionaire status.

Clearly, these people were committed to the cause, investing regularly, come rain or shine. But could I get there by investing £20k then doing nothing? Well, the answer is yes, depending on my investing time horizon.

£20k to £1m

Historically, the S&P 500 index has generated an average annual return of 10.7%, including dividends. And while UK shares have averaged a bit less, there’s nothing stopping investors from putting money to work in both markets.

Should you invest £1,000 in Smith & Nephew Plc right now?

When investing expert Mark Rogers has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for nearly a decade has provided thousands of paying members with top stock recommendations from the UK and US markets. And right now, Mark thinks there are 6 standout stocks that investors should consider buying. Want to see if Smith & Nephew Plc made the list?

See the 6 stocks

Indeed, just over half my portfolio is invested in high-quality US stocks like Shopify, The Trade Desk, Mastercard, Axon Enterprise, and Intuitive Surgical. The rest is in UK shares.

Therefore, I think it’s entirely realistic to aim for an average 10% return long run. Were I to achieve this, a single £20,000 investment — thanks to time and compounding — would turn into £216,694 after 25 years. That’s with dividends reinvested rather than spent.

Not bad, but clearly still a long way from a million. To reach this, it would actually take just over 41 years.

So, if I was 21 (unfortunately, I’m not!), this means that I could have a million-pound portfolio a decade or so before the official retirement age. Nice.

Remember though, past performance is no guide to the future. Average returns could be lower (or higher). Plus, there’s inflation to factor in, which would reduce my future spending power.

A Footsie stock

An example of a FTSE 100 share that I think could contribute towards this goal is Smith & Nephew (LSE:SN).

The company was founded in 1856 by Thomas James Smith and originally refined cod liver oil. His nephew joined in 1896, leading to the name. Today, Smith & Nephew is a global medical firm that specialises in joint replacement technology.

Created with Highcharts 11.4.3Smith & Nephew Plc PriceZoom1M3M6MYTD1Y5Y10YALL16 Jul 201916 Jul 2024Zoom ▾Jan '20Jul '20Jan '21Jul '21Jan '22Jul '22Jan '23Jul '23Jan '24Jul '242020202020212021202220222023202320242024www.fool.co.uk

The stock is currently 46% lower than its all-time high set back in 2019. The coronavirus hit the firm’s profits hard as operations ground to a halt worldwide. So another pandemic is a risk.

Also, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Wegovy have been weighing on the share price. The uncertainty is related to whether fewer obese people will reduce demand for joint replacement surgery.

This seems unlikely to me. In fact, by aiding weight loss and potentially reducing inflammation, GLP-1 drugs could make more patients eligible for surgery. So these drugs could actually expand the market!

Further, the number of people aged 60 years and older is set to rise to 1.4bn by 2030 and 2.1bn by 2050. A rapidly ageing global population plays right into the company’s strengths.

The stock is trading on a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of just 14.9. That looks cheap and there’s also a 2.9% dividend yield. I’m watching it like a hawk.

Making a million quicker

If I invested £500 each month, adding to my initial £20k, it would take approximately 27 years to get to £1m with a 10% return.

But what if I contribute £1,000 a month? Fantastic, because that would knock off about five years!

Finally, if I could somehow max out the £20k ISA limit each year, I’d need just under 18 years to grow my ISA to millionaire status.

Should you invest £1,000 in Smith & Nephew Plc right now?

When investing expert Mark Rogers has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for nearly a decade has provided thousands of paying members with top stock recommendations from the UK and US markets.

And right now, Mark thinks there are 6 standout stocks that investors should consider buying. Want to see if Smith & Nephew Plc made the list?

See the 6 stocks

Should you invest, the value of your investment may rise or fall and your capital is at risk. Before investing, your individual circumstances should be assessed. Consider taking independent financial advice.

Ben McPoland has positions in Axon Enterprise, Intuitive Surgical, Mastercard, Shopify, and The Trade Desk. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Axon Enterprise, Intuitive Surgical, Mastercard, Shopify, Smith & Nephew Plc, and The Trade Desk. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

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