[ { "slug": "compound-interest", "title": "Compound Interest Calculator", "category": "Investing", "description": "Free compound interest calculator with regular contributions, fees, and inflation. Compare investment growth using your own return assumptions.", "question": "How much could regular investing grow over time?", "method": "Annual return inputs are effective annual assumptions, converted to an equivalent periodic rate. Growth compounds each period. Contributions are added at the end of each selected period. Fees reduce the assumed effective annual return before inflation; purchasing power is divided by (1 + inflation) raised to years.", "note": "Illustrative assumptions only. Returns are constant in this model; real investments fluctuate. Fees are approximated as a reduction in annual return. Taxes are excluded. Lower and higher return examples are selected comparisons, not a probability range, guaranteed bounds, or worst-case loss estimate; actual outcomes can fall outside them.", "url": "https://goaladvisor.com/calculators/compound-interest/", "example": { "inputs": { "initial": 5000, "contribution": 500, "frequency": 12, "years": 25, "rate": 7, "fee": 0.1, "inflation": 2.5 }, "output": "end", "result": { "end": 412288.3010430221, "paid": 155000, "growth": 257288.30104302207, "real": 222384.42972263801, "series": [ 5000, 11532.464191345833, 18515.668411894534, 25980.713723661087, 33960.84716193954, 42491.609807459194, 51610.99507551972, 61359.61792707642, 71780.89575539052, 82921.24175385828, 94830.27162622035, 107561.0245597754, 121170.19944574575, 135718.40739884804, 151270.44170071435, 167895.56636940947, 185667.82464024462, 204666.36873176732, 224975.81236560506, 246686.60761017769, 269895.4477266257, 294705.69781110884, 321227.8551514211, 349580.041348215, 379888.5283925877, 412288.3010430221 ] }, "text": "Starting with $5,000 and adding $500 at each month-end for 25 years, a 7% effective annual return before a 0.1% fee illustrates an ending balance of $412,288.30. At 2.5% annual inflation, its purchasing power is $222,384.43 in today’s dollars." }, "questions": [ { "question": "Does this calculator include fees and inflation?", "answer": "Yes. The fee input reduces the assumed annual return. The tool shows both the ending dollar balance and its purchasing power after your chosen inflation assumption." }, { "question": "What does changing contribution frequency mean?", "answer": "The contribution amount applies each selected period. For example, $500 monthly means $6,000 per year, while $500 quarterly means $2,000 per year. Contributions are added at period-end; return inputs are effective annual rates." } ], "modelReviewed": "2026-10-10" }, { "slug": "retirement", "title": "Retirement Calculator", "category": "Retirement", "description": "Free retirement calculator for savings, contributions, inflation, and a withdrawal-rate target. Explore before-tax illustrations in today’s dollars.", "question": "Am I on track for my retirement spending goal?", "method": "All results are in today’s dollars. Real effective annual return = (1 + effective annual return after fees) / (1 + inflation) − 1. The real annual rate is converted to an equivalent monthly rate. Current savings grow monthly; contributions grow at month-end and maintain constant purchasing power. Target portfolio = annual spending less other income, divided by the selected withdrawal rate.", "note": "This accumulation illustration stops at retirement; it does not determine whether you can retire or how long savings will last. Withdrawals may consume principal and are not investment yield or guaranteed income. Results are before taxes: include taxes in your total spending estimate and enter other income before taxes on the same basis. Contributions are in today’s dollars: the nominal amount must rise with inflation. Withdrawal rates are user assumptions, not guarantees. Enter your own Social Security or pension estimate; taxes are not calculated and changing benefits are not modeled.", "url": "https://goaladvisor.com/calculators/retirement/", "example": { "inputs": { "age": 40, "retire": 65, "saved": 150000, "monthly": 1000, "spending": 60000, "income": 24000, "rate": 6, "fee": 0.2, "inflation": 2.5, "withdrawal": 4 }, "output": "end", "result": { "end": 788184.0377580009, "target": 900000, "gap": -111815.9622419991, "extra": 244.7012051566541, "supported": 55527.361510320035 }, "text": "At age 40, with $150,000 saved and $1,000 contributed monthly in today’s dollars until age 65, a 6% annual return, 0.2% fee, and 2.5% inflation illustrate $788,184.04 in today’s dollars. A $60,000 total spending requirement, $24,000 other income, and 4% withdrawal assumption imply a $900,000.00 portfolio target. This is not a retirement-readiness finding." }, "questions": [ { "question": "Does reaching the target mean I can retire?", "answer": "No. The target is a spending gap divided by your selected withdrawal rate. This tool does not simulate spending down savings, lifespan, or a probability of retirement success." }, { "question": "Are contributions and income adjusted for inflation?", "answer": "The model uses today’s dollars and keeps contributions constant in purchasing power. Nominal contributions must increase with inflation. Enter income before taxes and include a tax allowance in total spending; the tool does not calculate taxes." } ], "modelReviewed": "2026-10-10" }, { "slug": "savings-goal", "title": "Savings Goal Calculator", "category": "Saving", "description": "Calculate the monthly savings needed to reach your goal. Include current savings, deadline, and an assumed interest rate; deposits round up to cents.", "question": "How much do I need to save each month?", "method": "Target and current savings are nominal dollars. Required monthly contribution = (target − current savings grown to the deadline) / monthly annuity factor, floored at zero. At zero interest, divide the remaining gap by months.", "note": "Uses monthly compounding and month-end contributions at a constant nominal interest rate. Taxes, fees, and inflation are excluded.", "url": "https://goaladvisor.com/calculators/savings-goal/", "example": { "inputs": { "target": 20000, "saved": 2000, "months": 36, "rate": 0 }, "output": "payment", "result": { "monthly": 500, "payment": 500, "projected": 20000, "contributed": 18000, "interest": 0 }, "text": "For a $20,000 goal with $2,000 already saved and 36 months remaining, assuming zero interest, the required monthly deposit is $500.00." }, "questions": [ { "question": "How is the monthly savings amount calculated?", "answer": "The tool grows your current savings to the deadline, subtracts that amount from the target, and spreads the remaining gap over month-end deposits and their modeled interest. Required deposits round up to cents." }, { "question": "Is the savings rate an APY?", "answer": "No. This tool uses a nominal annual interest rate divided by 12 for monthly compounding. If your account quotes an effective annual yield, the rate convention differs. Fees and taxes are not modeled." } ], "modelReviewed": "2026-10-10" }, { "slug": "inflation", "title": "Inflation Calculator", "category": "Planning", "description": "Estimate future costs and purchasing power with a free inflation calculator using your chosen annual rate. No historical CPI feed or forecast.", "question": "What will my money be worth in the future?", "method": "Future cost = today’s cost × (1 + annual inflation) raised to years. Purchasing power of a fixed sum = that sum divided by the same factor.", "note": "Projected inflation only; no historical CPI feed is connected. Your chosen rate is an assumption, not a forecast.", "url": "https://goaladvisor.com/calculators/inflation/", "example": { "inputs": { "amount": 10000, "years": 20, "inflation": 3 }, "output": "cost", "result": { "cost": 18061.11234669415, "power": 5536.757541863345, "erosion": 0.4463242458136655 }, "text": "A purchase costing $10,000 today would cost $18,061.11 in 20 years at an assumed 3% annual inflation rate. This is a projection, not historical CPI data." }, "questions": [ { "question": "Does this calculator use historical CPI?", "answer": "No. It projects a constant inflation rate you choose. It does not fetch historical consumer price data or forecast future inflation." }, { "question": "What is the difference between future cost and purchasing power?", "answer": "Future cost estimates what the same purchase would cost later. Purchasing power estimates how much a fixed dollar balance would buy in today’s dollars after the same assumed inflation." } ], "modelReviewed": "2026-10-10" }, { "slug": "fee-impact", "title": "Investment Fee Impact Calculator", "category": "Investing", "description": "Compare investment fees and expense-ratio assumptions. See how two annual fee rates change ending balances over time in a free calculator.", "question": "How much could investment fees cost me?", "method": "Each scenario converts the gross effective annual return less its annual fee to an equivalent monthly rate, using monthly periods and month-end contributions. The difference in ending balances includes both fees and growth forgone.", "note": "Fee drag is approximated by subtracting annual fees from annual return. Actual fee timing can differ. Taxes and inflation are excluded; identical gross returns are assumed.", "url": "https://goaladvisor.com/calculators/fee-impact/", "example": { "inputs": { "initial": 100000, "monthly": 500, "years": 25, "rate": 7, "feeA": 0.1, "feeB": 1 }, "output": "difference", "result": { "a": 915981.6723551694, "b": 767331.5530180178, "difference": 148650.11933715164 }, "text": "Starting with $100,000, adding $500 monthly for 25 years, and assuming a 7% gross effective annual return, scenario A with a 0.1% annual fee ends $148,650.12 above scenario B with a 1% annual fee under this fee-drag approximation." }, "questions": [ { "question": "Does the fee difference include lost growth?", "answer": "Yes. The ending-balance difference includes the modeled fee reduction and the growth those dollars could have earned. Both scenarios use the same gross effective annual return and contributions." }, { "question": "Does this reproduce every expense-ratio charge?", "answer": "No. It approximates each fee by subtracting an annual fee percentage from the annual return. Actual deductions, trading costs, taxes, and fee schedules can differ." } ], "modelReviewed": "2026-10-10" }, { "slug": "debt-payoff", "title": "Debt Payoff Calculator", "category": "Saving", "description": "Estimate debt payoff time and total interest from a fixed balance, APR, and monthly payment. Free calculator with clear assumptions.", "question": "How soon could I pay off my debt?", "method": "Interest is added monthly at APR / 12, then the payment is applied. The final payment is capped at the remaining balance plus interest.", "note": "Assumes a fixed APR, no fees, no new borrowing, and monthly payments. Lender calculations may differ. Payments must exceed starting monthly interest.", "url": "https://goaladvisor.com/calculators/debt-payoff/", "example": { "inputs": { "balance": 5000, "apr": 18, "payment": 200 }, "output": "months", "result": { "months": 32, "interest": 1313.9639987067328 }, "text": "A $5,000 balance at 18% APR with fixed $200 monthly payments illustrates payoff in 32 months and $1,313.96 in interest, with a smaller final payment. No new borrowing or fees are included." }, "questions": [ { "question": "Why does the calculator say to increase my payment?", "answer": "A payment at or below starting monthly interest cannot pay down this fixed-rate balance. A payoff beyond the model’s 12,000-month limit is also not reported." }, { "question": "Does it model credit-card minimum payments?", "answer": "No. You choose a fixed monthly payment and APR. The model excludes new charges and fees, and the final payment may be smaller. Actual lenders may calculate interest daily or apply different rules." } ], "modelReviewed": "2026-10-10" }, { "slug": "net-worth", "title": "Net Worth Calculator", "category": "Planning", "description": "Add assets and subtract liabilities with a free net worth calculator. Estimate cash, investments, property, mortgages, and other debt.", "question": "What is my current net worth?", "method": "Net worth = cash + investments + retirement accounts + property + other assets − mortgages − other debt.", "note": "Use current estimated values and outstanding balances. Avoid counting the same account or liability twice. Entries are not saved or linked to accounts.", "url": "https://goaladvisor.com/calculators/net-worth/", "example": { "inputs": { "cash": 10000, "investments": 50000, "retirement": 150000, "property": 400000, "other": 20000, "mortgage": 250000, "debt": 15000 }, "output": "net", "result": { "assets": 630000, "liabilities": 265000, "net": 365000 }, "text": "The example includes $10,000 cash, $50,000 taxable investments, $150,000 retirement savings, $400,000 property, and $20,000 other assets. Subtracting a $250,000 mortgage and $15,000 other debt gives estimated net worth of $365,000.00." }, "questions": [ { "question": "What is included in net worth?", "answer": "This tool adds your cash, taxable investments, retirement accounts, property, and other assets, then subtracts mortgages and other debt. Use estimated current values and avoid counting the same asset or liability twice." }, { "question": "Does the calculator track my accounts?", "answer": "No. It is a snapshot of the amounts you enter and does not connect to accounts or save a financial profile. A shared scenario link includes those amounts; use hypothetical values when sharing." } ], "modelReviewed": "2026-10-10" }, { "slug": "asset-allocation", "title": "Asset Allocation Calculator", "category": "Investing", "description": "Compare stock, bond, and cash holdings with your own target percentages. Free asset allocation calculator; no portfolio recommendation.", "question": "How far is my portfolio from my target allocation?", "method": "Current weights = each holding bucket divided by total portfolio value. Target values = total value × user-selected target weights. Differences show the dollar change needed to reach each target.", "note": "Targets are supplied by you; this tool does not recommend an allocation or securities. Taxes, trading costs, and holdings within funds are excluded. Meeting a target does not establish suitability or diversification. Diversification and rebalancing cannot guarantee profits or prevent losses.", "url": "https://goaladvisor.com/calculators/asset-allocation/", "example": { "inputs": { "stocks": 70000, "bonds": 25000, "cash": 5000, "stockTarget": 60, "bondTarget": 30, "cashTarget": 10 }, "output": "total", "result": { "total": 100000, "rows": [ { "name": "stocks", "weight": 70, "target": 60, "change": -10000 }, { "name": "bonds", "weight": 25, "target": 30, "change": 5000 }, { "name": "cash", "weight": 5, "target": 10, "change": 5000 } ] }, "text": "A $100,000 portfolio with $70,000 stocks, $25,000 bonds, and $5,000 cash has a 70% / 25% / 5% mix. Compared with your chosen 60% / 30% / 10% targets, the differences are −$10,000 stocks, +$5,000 bonds, and +$5,000 cash. This does not recommend trades." }, "questions": [ { "question": "Does this tool recommend a stock and bond mix?", "answer": "No. You choose the stock, bond, and cash targets, which must total 100%. The tool compares those targets with the dollar amounts you enter." }, { "question": "What do positive and negative allocation differences mean?", "answer": "A positive difference means the category is below your chosen target; a negative difference means it is above. These are arithmetic comparisons, not trading recommendations or a test of suitability or diversification." } ], "modelReviewed": "2026-10-10" }, { "slug": "dividend-drip", "title": "Dividend Reinvestment Calculator", "category": "Investing", "description": "Free dividend reinvestment and DRIP calculator. Compare annual reinvestment with taking dividends as cash, using your own yield and price growth.", "question": "What difference could reinvesting dividends make?", "method": "Annual reinvested value compounds price growth plus dividend yield. Without reinvestment, capital grows at the price growth rate and annual dividends are accumulated as uninvested cash based on each year’s opening value.", "note": "Annual simplified model with constant yield and price growth, no contributions, fees, or taxes. Dividends can change or stop. Total return includes dividends; do not enter a total return as price growth.", "url": "https://goaladvisor.com/calculators/dividend-drip/", "example": { "inputs": { "initial": 10000, "years": 20, "yield": 3, "price": 4 }, "output": "reinvested", "result": { "reinvested": 38696.844624861835, "capital": 21911.231430334214, "cash": 8933.42357275065, "total": 30844.655003084863, "difference": 7852.189621776972 }, "text": "Starting with $10,000, a constant 3% annual dividend yield and 4% annual price growth excluding dividends illustrate $38,696.84 after 20 years with annual reinvestment. Taxes and fees are excluded, and dividends are not guaranteed." }, "questions": [ { "question": "Should price growth include dividends?", "answer": "No. Enter price growth excluding dividends, then enter the dividend yield separately. Using total return as price growth would count dividends twice." }, { "question": "How does this DRIP model reinvestment?", "answer": "It applies constant annual price growth and opening-year dividend yield, with annual reinvestment. The cash-dividend comparison holds distributions as cash earning no return. Actual dividends, reinvestment timing, taxes, and fees can differ." } ], "modelReviewed": "2026-10-10" }, { "slug": "education-savings", "title": "College & Career Education Savings Calculator", "category": "Saving", "description": "Plan savings for college, community college, trade school or an apprenticeship using tuition benchmarks and custom costs.", "question": "How much should I save for an education path?", "method": "Inflate annual costs and support through each attendance year; accumulate savings until enrollment using month-end contributions. Fund the full net program cost at enrollment.", "note": "Dated national tuition benchmarks; other costs and support are custom assumptions. No 529 tax or eligibility modeling.", "url": "https://goaladvisor.com/calculators/education-savings/", "example": { "inputs": { "path": "public", "wait": 1, "duration": 1, "tuition": 12000, "transfer": 11950, "books": 0, "living": 0, "transport": 0, "aid": 0, "saved": 0, "monthly": 0, "rate": 0, "inflation": 0 }, "text": "For a one-year program costing $12,000, starting in one year with no savings, growth, inflation or aid, saving $1,000 per month funds the goal." }, "questions": [ { "question": "Does this estimate financial aid?", "answer": "No. Enter your own expected grants, scholarships or employer support and confirm eligibility with the provider." }, { "question": "Are trade-school and apprenticeship costs national averages?", "answer": "No. Those paths start with custom cost placeholders. Enter a quote from the school or program sponsor." } ] }, { "slug": "retirement-income", "title": "Retirement Income & Savings Longevity Calculator", "category": "Retirement", "description": "Explore retirement withdrawals and how long savings could last using spending, income, inflation, fees and constant-return assumptions.", "question": "How could retirement withdrawals affect my savings?", "method": "Each year, spending and continuing income grow at the same inflation rate. The nonnegative difference is withdrawn from savings at the start of the year, limited to the available balance. The remaining balance then grows by the assumed annual return minus the annual fee. Unfunded spending is shown separately. Balances are nominal future dollars.", "note": "This constant-return model is not a safe-withdrawal recommendation or a probability of success. Actual returns fluctuate and the order of returns matters. Include taxes in spending; tax rates, required minimum distributions, different benefit start dates, different pension cost-of-living adjustments, one-off costs, and income surpluses saved are not modeled. Other income does not stop when savings run out. Comparisons at two percentage points above/below your return are illustrations, not best/worst-case outcomes.", "insight": "A remaining balance only describes this scenario. Try changing spending first, then the return assumption. Depletion describes the modeled savings account, not the end of pension or Social Security income.", "next": "retirement", "nextlabel": "Explore saving before retirement", "example": { "inputs": { "saved": 100000, "spending": 20000, "income": 0, "years": 10, "rate": 0, "fee": 0, "inflation": 0 }, "text": "With $100,000 saved, $20,000 annual spending, no other income, no growth, no fees and no inflation, savings are depleted by the withdrawal in year 5.", "result": { "end": 0, "depleted": 5, "totalWithdrawn": 100000, "annualGap": 20000, "series": [ 100000, 80000, 60000, 40000, 20000, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "ledger": [ { "year": 1, "start": 100000, "spending": 20000, "income": 0, "needed": 20000, "withdrawn": 20000, "unfunded": 0, "end": 80000 }, { "year": 2, "start": 80000, "spending": 20000, "income": 0, "needed": 20000, "withdrawn": 20000, "unfunded": 0, "end": 60000 }, { "year": 3, "start": 60000, "spending": 20000, "income": 0, "needed": 20000, "withdrawn": 20000, "unfunded": 0, "end": 40000 }, { "year": 4, "start": 40000, "spending": 20000, "income": 0, "needed": 20000, "withdrawn": 20000, "unfunded": 0, "end": 20000 }, { "year": 5, "start": 20000, "spending": 20000, "income": 0, "needed": 20000, "withdrawn": 20000, "unfunded": 0, "end": 0 }, { "year": 6, "start": 0, "spending": 20000, "income": 0, "needed": 20000, "withdrawn": 0, "unfunded": 20000, "end": 0 }, { "year": 7, "start": 0, "spending": 20000, "income": 0, "needed": 20000, "withdrawn": 0, "unfunded": 20000, "end": 0 }, { "year": 8, "start": 0, "spending": 20000, "income": 0, "needed": 20000, "withdrawn": 0, "unfunded": 20000, "end": 0 }, { "year": 9, "start": 0, "spending": 20000, "income": 0, "needed": 20000, "withdrawn": 0, "unfunded": 20000, "end": 0 }, { "year": 10, "start": 0, "spending": 20000, "income": 0, "needed": 20000, "withdrawn": 0, "unfunded": 20000, "end": 0 } ] }, "output": "depleted" }, "questions": [ { "question": "Does a remaining balance mean my withdrawals are safe?", "answer": "No. A constant-return projection does not capture market volatility, return timing, unexpected expenses or every tax and income rule." }, { "question": "When are withdrawals taken?", "answer": "The full annual amount is taken at the start of each model year. The remaining savings then earn the assumed return after the fee." } ], "source": "https://www.investor.gov/additional-resources/retirement-toolkit/managing-lifetime-income", "sourcelabel": "Investor.gov: managing lifetime income", "url": "https://goaladvisor.com/calculators/retirement-income/" }, { "slug": "emergency-fund", "title": "Emergency Fund Runway Calculator", "category": "Saving", "description": "Estimate how many months cash savings could cover your essential expense gap, including continuing income and a reserve you leave untouched.", "question": "How long could my emergency savings cover my expense gap?", "method": "Available cash is the greater of zero or savings minus the untouched reserve. The monthly gap is the greater of zero or essential monthly expenses minus continuing monthly income. Runway is available cash divided by that gap. The target is the untouched reserve plus the monthly gap multiplied by your chosen goal months.", "note": "Assumes constant monthly costs and continuing income, no interest, inflation or new savings contributions, and no one-off emergencies. If continuing income covers expenses, no monthly funding gap is reported rather than an infinite runway. The goal months are your scenario, not a recommended reserve. Use accessible cash values and take account of any taxes or penalties before including other assets.", "insight": "Runway depends on the monthly gap you enter. Income that stops during a disruption should not be counted as continuing income. A reserve left untouched reduces cash available for the gap.", "next": "savings-goal", "nextlabel": "Build a monthly savings goal", "example": { "inputs": { "saved": 15000, "expenses": 3000, "income": 0, "reserve": 0, "months": 3 }, "text": "With $15,000 in savings, $3,000 of essential monthly expenses, no continuing income and no untouched reserve, the estimated runway is 5.0 months.", "result": { "gap": 3000, "available": 15000, "runway": 5, "target": 9000, "shortfall": 0 }, "output": "runway" }, "questions": [ { "question": "What if income covers my essential expenses?", "answer": "The model shows no monthly funding gap. It does not assume that savings are unnecessary or that one-off emergencies are covered." }, { "question": "Does the chosen goal prescribe how much I need?", "answer": "No. Change the goal months to explore your own assumptions; the calculator does not determine a suitable emergency reserve." } ], "source": "https://www.consumerfinance.gov/an-essential-guide-to-building-an-emergency-fund/", "sourcelabel": "CFPB: building an emergency fund", "url": "https://goaladvisor.com/calculators/emergency-fund/" } ]