401(k), SIMPLE IRA & IRA Contribution Basics
Elective deferrals, employer match formulas, SIMPLE IRA, IRS limits, and Roth IRA MAGI phase-outs in plain language.
- investing
- retirement
- guides
Blog
Guides and explainers behind our calculators.
The 50/30/20 Budget Guideline
Needs, wants, and savings — a flexible split for take-home pay, not a hard rule.
- planning
- budget
- guides
Emergency Fund Basics
How big a cash buffer to target and how long contributions take to get there.
- planning
- savings
- guides
Future Inflation and Purchasing Power
Why the same dollars may buy less later — and how to read a simple future inflation projection.
- planning
- inflation
- guides
Refinance Break-Even Basics
When a lower rate is worth the closing costs — cash-flow break-even vs total interest.
- mortgage
- home
- guides
How Mortgage Payments Are Built
Principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and PMI — what goes into a monthly housing payment and how fixed-rate amortization works.
- mortgage
- home
- guides
Mortgage Approval Estimate Basics (Without the Hype)
Housing and total DTI rules of thumb, why max home price is not a pre-approval, and how down payment, debts, APR, and taxes change the estimate.
- mortgage
- home
- guides
How to Track Net Worth Without Spreadsheet Hell
Assets minus debt, a simple goal bar, and why a lightweight snapshot is often enough to stay honest about progress.
- net-worth
- planning
- guides
How Extra Payments Cut Debt Faster
Why paying more than the minimum shortens payoff time, how interest is calculated each month, and when a payment is too low to ever catch up.
- debt
- credit-cards
- guides
How Fixed Loan Payments Are Calculated
Principal, rate, and term — how amortizing loans set your monthly payment and why total interest grows with longer terms.
- loans
- finance
- guides
How Compound Interest Actually Grows Your Money
Why time and recurring contributions matter more than chasing the perfect interest rate — for savings, bonds, stocks, and more.
- finance
- investing
- guides
How Federal Tax Brackets Actually Work
Marginal rates, effective rates, credits, investment income, and why moving into a higher bracket rarely means all your income gets taxed more.
- tax
- federal
- guides