Every number behind your projection.
Finnlight only asks for assumptions it actually uses. This page explains what each one means, which option to pick, and where the historical numbers come from. Ask Finn — the help bubble in the bottom-right — if anything here is unclear.
Tax treatment
401(k) and traditional IRA are tax-deferred, brokerage and checking/savings are taxable, Roth is tax-free. Finnlight shows figures before tax, so the treatment does not change the projection.
- Combine similar accounts into one line — the math depends on totals per tax treatment.
Contributions stop at retirement
Enter the full amount added to each account per year, including any employer match. Finnlight adds that same amount before applying growth in every year before retirement. No contribution is added in the year you reach retirement age or afterward.
- Contributions stay flat; raises, inflation increases, job changes, and contribution limits are not modeled.
- Post-retirement and part-time-work contributions are not modeled.
- Re-check your contributions once a year, or set a reminder in Notifications.
Real estate and pensions
Home equity is tracked as appreciated value minus the remaining mortgage balance, amortized from the interest rate (APR) you enter, and is not automatically spent in retirement. The monthly payment Finnlight shows is principal & interest only. Property tax and insurance/HOA are entered separately as annual costs and are added on top of your retirement spending target each year, inflated with everything else. Pensions are entered as an annual payout beginning at retirement.
- Add a life event if you plan to downsize and release equity.
Finnlight is an educational planning tool and does not provide financial, tax, or legal advice.