Doug wrote:
- quote -

Read the Excel help file on the XIRR function, which calculates the rate
of return for cash flows that don't occur at regular intervals. In
effect it turns the thing into a big savings account and tells you the
interest rate it's been paying over all these years.

Keep in mind when using XIRR that any money and assets that you deposit
into the account are entered as negative numbers, and any money and
assets you transfer out are entered as positive numbers, when you enter
all your cash flows. For your purposes, you can ignore everything that
happens within the account (eg trades, dividends paid by funds/stocks).
Focus only on what you've put in, what you've taken out, and the amount
of still sitting there at the end of the period you're analyzing.

-Tad

I have a portfolio of mutual funds and stocks. Over the years money
has gone into this account, and money has come out. By this I mean I
take money away from the account and I send new money into it. These
movements are random, that is they are not regular, monthly or
anything like that. How do I calculate the return? I have heard of
irregular rate of return. Is this what I should use? Does excel have
this? Any advice?