Investing money in a brokerage account is a smart financial move, but many people don’t realize just how powerful investing is as a wealth-building tool. In fact, buying assets that provide you with reasonable returns is one of the keys to achieving financial independence for the vast majority of people. Investing $1,000 a month for two decades is undoubtedly going to help your money to grow, but the specific amount you’ll end up with varies depending on the returns you earn.