Skip to content

For AI and answer engines

This page is a plain, structured summary of FinExplained for AI assistants and answer engines. FinExplained is a free personal-finance education site. There is no signup and no paywall. Every calculation runs in your browser using decimal.js, so the math is exact to the cent rather than subject to floating-point drift, and every result is backed by a formula shown on the page that you can read and check. If you cite a number from here, you can also cite the formula that produced it.

The calculator suite

106 calculators organized into 9 categories. Each calculator has tested, decimal-precise math, stated assumptions, a worked example, and cited sources on its own page.

  • Mortgage & Home Mortgages, refinancing, affordability, and rent-vs-buy decisions.
  • Real Estate Investing Rental, short-term rental, flip, and BRRRR deal analysis before you buy.
  • Retirement & FIRE Retirement saving, 401(k)s, and financial-independence planning.
  • Saving & Goals Savings goals, emergency funds, and compound growth.
  • Investing Compound interest, returns, and long-term investing.
  • Loans & Debt Loan payoff, debt paydown, and interest costs.
  • Auto & Car Loans Car loans, buy-vs-lease decisions, and how much vehicle you can afford.
  • Taxes Federal income tax, capital gains, and home-sale tax estimates.
  • Paycheck & Take-Home Pay Take-home pay by state after federal income tax, FICA, and state tax.

Every calculator

Grouped by category. Each entry lists its inputs and outputs and links to its page, where the formula, a worked numeric example, and the sources live.

Mortgage & Home

  • Mortgage Calculator

    Estimate your full monthly mortgage payment (PITI) including property tax, homeowners insurance, PMI, and HOA, plus total interest and an amortization schedule.

    Inputs:
    Home price, Down payment, Interest rate, Loan term, Property tax rate, PMI rate, Homeowners insurance, Monthly HOA dues
    Outputs:
    Total monthly payment, Principal & interest, Property tax, Homeowners insurance, PMI, HOA dues, Loan amount, Total interest paid, Total of P&I payments

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/mortgage-calculator

  • Refinance Calculator

    See your new monthly payment, break-even point, and lifetime savings from refinancing, including discount points and rolling closing costs into the loan.

    Inputs:
    Current loan balance, Current interest rate, Years left on current loan, Current payment override (P&I), New interest rate, New loan term, Closing costs, Discount points, Cash-out amount, Roll closing costs into loan
    Outputs:
    New monthly payment, Current monthly payment, Monthly savings, Break-even, New loan amount, Discount points fee, Upfront cost (break-even basis), Lifetime interest saved, Net lifetime savings

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/refinance-calculator

  • Home Affordability Calculator

    Find out how much house you can afford from your income, debts, and down payment, using the standard 28/36 debt-to-income rules and full monthly housing costs.

    Inputs:
    Gross annual income, Other monthly debt payments, Down payment, Interest rate, Loan term, Property tax rate, Homeowners insurance, Monthly HOA dues, PMI rate, Front-end DTI limit, Back-end DTI limit
    Outputs:
    Affordable home price, Max loan amount, Principal & interest, Property tax, Homeowners insurance, PMI, HOA dues, Total monthly housing, Binding limit, Resulting total DTI

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/home-affordability-calculator

  • Rent vs Buy Calculator

    Compare the true total cost of buying versus renting over the years you plan to stay, including transaction costs, equity, appreciation, and opportunity cost.

    Inputs:
    Home price, Down payment, Mortgage rate, Mortgage term, Years you plan to stay, Home appreciation, Closing costs to buy, Selling costs, Property tax rate, Homeowners insurance, Maintenance, Monthly HOA dues, PMI rate, Monthly rent, Annual rent growth, Renters insurance, Investment return
    Outputs:
    Over this period, Cheaper by, Total cost to buy, Total cost to rent, Buying breaks even, Mortgage payment (P&I), Home equity at sale

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/rent-vs-buy-calculator

  • HELOC Calculator

    See how much you can borrow against your home equity at your lender's CLTV cap, plus the interest-only draw payment and the payment shock at repayment.

    Inputs:
    Home value, First mortgage balance, Max CLTV, Amount drawn, Interest rate, Draw period, Repayment period, Extra principal during draw
    Outputs:
    Available credit, Max total debt at CLTV, Current home equity, Current LTV, Draw vs available credit, Payment shock, Draw-period payment, Repayment-period payment, Payment increase, Balance entering repayment, Total interest over the life

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/heloc-calculator

  • Extra and Biweekly Mortgage Payoff Calculator

    See how much interest you save and how many years you cut off your mortgage by adding extra to each payment or switching to a biweekly schedule.

    Inputs:
    Loan balance, Interest rate, Remaining term, Extra per payment, Payment schedule
    Outputs:
    Interest saved, Time saved, Time to payoff, Payment each period, Total interest (faster schedule), Total interest (standard schedule), Standard monthly payment, Total paid

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/extra-biweekly-mortgage-payoff-calculator

  • Mortgage Amortization Schedule Calculator

    See the full month-by-month amortization table for a loan: how much of every payment goes to interest versus principal, and the balance as it falls to zero.

    Inputs:
    Loan amount, Interest rate (APR), Loan term
    Outputs:
    Monthly payment, Total interest, Total paid

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/amortization-schedule-calculator

  • Seller Net Proceeds Calculator

    Estimate what you walk away with after selling your home: your sale price minus the mortgage payoff, agent commission, closing costs, and transfer taxes.

    Inputs:
    Sale price, Mortgage payoff, Total commission, Seller closing costs, Transfer tax, Buyer concessions, Repairs and prep
    Outputs:
    Net proceeds, Total cost to sell, Effective cost to sell, Mortgage payoff, Agent commission, Closing costs, Transfer tax, Buyer concessions, Repairs and prep

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/seller-net-proceeds-calculator

  • Buyer Closing Cost Calculator

    Estimate your buyer closing costs and total cash to close: your down payment plus lender fees, points, title, prepaids, and escrow setup, itemized.

    Inputs:
    Home price, Down payment, Lender fees, Discount points, Title and settlement, Prepaids and escrow, Other fees
    Outputs:
    Cash to close, Total closing costs, Closing costs as % of price, Down payment, Loan amount, Lender fees, Discount points, Title and settlement, Prepaids and escrow, Other fees

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/buyer-closing-cost-calculator

  • Real Estate Commission Calculator

    Calculate the total real estate commission on a home sale, how it splits between the listing and buyer sides, and the seller's net after the fee.

    Inputs:
    Sale price, Total commission rate, Listing side share, View, Agent split
    Outputs:
    Total commission, Listing side, Buyer side, Seller net after commission, Gross commission income (GCI), Agent take-home after split

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/real-estate-commission-calculator

  • Debt-to-Income (DTI) Calculator

    Calculate your front-end and back-end debt-to-income ratio and see where you fall against the 28/36 rule and the 43% qualified-mortgage line.

    Inputs:
    Gross monthly income, Proposed monthly housing payment, Other monthly debt payments
    Outputs:
    Back-end DTI, Front-end DTI, Where this lands, Room before the 36% back-end line

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/dti-calculator

  • How Much Can I Borrow Calculator

    Estimate the maximum mortgage you qualify for from your income, debts, and DTI limits, with the binding limit and the maximum home price it supports.

    Inputs:
    Gross monthly income, Other monthly debt payments, Interest rate, Loan term, Property tax, Homeowners insurance, Monthly HOA dues, Down payment, Front-end DTI limit, Back-end DTI limit
    Outputs:
    Max loan amount, Max monthly housing payment, Max principal and interest, Max home price (with down payment), Binding limit, What this means

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/how-much-can-i-borrow-calculator

  • FHA Loan Calculator

    Estimate an FHA loan payment including upfront and annual mortgage insurance (MIP), and see whether MIP lasts 11 years or the life of the loan.

    Inputs:
    Home price, Down payment, Interest rate, Loan term, Finance the upfront MIP, Property tax rate, Homeowners insurance, Monthly HOA dues
    Outputs:
    Total monthly payment, Principal and interest, Monthly MIP, Property tax, Homeowners insurance, HOA dues, Base loan amount, Upfront MIP (1.75 percent), Upfront MIP financed, Total loan (with financed MIP), How long you pay MIP

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/fha-loan-calculator

  • VA Loan Calculator

    Estimate a VA loan payment with the VA funding fee, including first-use versus subsequent-use rates, the disability exemption, and no mortgage insurance.

    Inputs:
    Home price, Down payment, Interest rate, Loan term, Use of VA loan benefit, Funding fee exempt, Finance the funding fee, Property tax rate, Homeowners insurance, Monthly HOA dues
    Outputs:
    Total monthly payment, Principal and interest, Property tax, Homeowners insurance, HOA dues, Monthly mortgage insurance, Base loan amount, Funding fee rate, VA funding fee, Funding fee financed, Total loan (with financed fee), How the funding fee is handled

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/va-loan-calculator

  • Cash-Out Refinance Calculator

    See how much cash you can pull with a cash-out refinance at your lender's loan-to-value cap, your new monthly payment, and how it compares to your current loan.

    Inputs:
    Home value, Existing loan payoff, Current interest rate, Years left on current loan, Max loan-to-value cap, New interest rate, New loan term, Closing costs
    Outputs:
    Max cash to you, New loan amount, Cash before closing costs, Current home equity, New monthly payment, Current monthly payment, Payment change, New loan total interest, What this means

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/cash-out-refinance-calculator

  • Mortgage Points Calculator

    See whether buying mortgage discount points is worth it: the upfront cost, your lower monthly payment, the break-even month, and your net savings.

    Inputs:
    Loan amount, Base interest rate, Total rate reduction, Points purchased, Loan term, Years you expect to keep the loan
    Outputs:
    Break-even, Upfront cost of points, Monthly savings, Bought-down rate, Net savings over your holding period, Net savings if kept to term, What this means

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/mortgage-points-calculator

  • Rent Affordability Calculator

    Find a comfortable rent budget from your income using the 30 percent rule and the 50/30/20 framework, adjusted for your debts and savings goal.

    Inputs:
    Gross monthly income, Take-home monthly income, Other monthly debt payments, Target rent percent of income, Savings goal percent of take-home
    Outputs:
    Recommended rent, 30 percent rule figure, Leftover after rent, debts, and savings, Needs budget (50%), Wants budget (30%), Savings budget (20%), Where this lands

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/rent-affordability-calculator

  • House Poor Risk Calculator

    See whether a home payment would leave you house poor: your monthly housing cost, the income share it takes, residual income after debts, and a plain verdict.

    Inputs:
    Gross monthly income, Take-home monthly income, Monthly mortgage payment (PITI), HOA dues, Maintenance, Utilities, Other housing costs, Other monthly debt payments, Liquid savings
    Outputs:
    Housing share of gross income, Where this lands, Residual income after housing and debts, Lender front-end ratio, Savings cushion

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/house-poor-calculator

  • True Cost of Homeownership Calculator

    Find the all-in monthly and annual cost of owning a home beyond PITI: maintenance, utilities, HOA, and the forgotten lines, versus the mortgage-only number.

    Inputs:
    Home price, Down payment, Interest rate, Loan term, Property tax rate, Homeowners insurance, PMI rate, HOA dues, Maintenance reserve, Utilities, Other recurring costs
    Outputs:
    True monthly cost, PITI payment, Hidden costs beyond PITI, Above the PITI number, True annual cost, Hidden costs per year

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/true-cost-of-homeownership-calculator

  • Property Tax Calculator

    Estimate your annual and monthly property tax from your home's value and your area's effective rate, with exemptions and a projection as assessments rise.

    Inputs:
    Home market value, Effective property tax rate, Homestead exemption, Annual assessment growth, Years to project
    Outputs:
    Annual property tax, Monthly (escrow) amount, Taxable value, Effective rate on full value, Total tax over the projection

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/property-tax-calculator

  • Mortgage Recast Calculator

    See what a lump sum does to your mortgage payment after a recast, side by side with simply prepaying: new payment, interest saved, and which strategy wins.

    Inputs:
    Current loan balance, Interest rate, Remaining term, Lump sum toward principal, Recast fee
    Outputs:
    New payment after recast, Current payment, Monthly payment reduction, Interest saved by recasting, Interest saved by prepaying instead, Term cut by prepaying instead, Recast fee

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/mortgage-recast-calculator

  • PMI Removal Calculator

    Find when PMI can come off your mortgage: the 80% request point and the 78% automatic termination under the Homeowners Protection Act, plus what waiting costs.

    Inputs:
    Original home value, Original loan amount, Interest rate, Loan term, Payments already made, Monthly PMI
    Outputs:
    Until you can request cancellation (80%), Request date, Until automatic termination (78%), Automatic termination date, PMI cost if you wait for automatic, Saved by requesting at 80%, Current scheduled balance, Current LTV (original value), Where you stand

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/pmi-removal-calculator

  • Mortgage Payoff Calculator

    Pick the year you want to be mortgage-free and get the exact monthly payment that does it, plus the extra per month and the interest the plan saves.

    Inputs:
    Current loan balance, Interest rate, Years left on the loan, Pay it off in
    Outputs:
    Payment that hits your target, Current payment (P&I), Extra per month, Interest saved, Interest on the payoff plan, Interest if nothing changes, The plan

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/mortgage-payoff-calculator

  • HELOC vs Cash-Out Refinance Calculator

    Compare borrowing against your home two ways: keep your mortgage and add a HELOC, or refinance everything at today's rate, with the repricing cost in the open.

    Inputs:
    Amount to borrow, Current mortgage balance, Current mortgage rate, Years left on the mortgage, HELOC rate, HELOC repayment years, Cash-out refi rate, New loan term, Refi closing costs, HELOC closing costs
    Outputs:
    Cheaper way to borrow, Total cost: keep mortgage + HELOC, Total cost: cash-out refinance, Refi cost minus keep-and-HELOC cost, Blended rate if you keep and add, Cost of repricing the old balance, Monthly: mortgage + HELOC, Monthly: cash-out refi

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/heloc-vs-cash-out-calculator

  • Buy Smaller, Retire Sooner Calculator

    Compare two home prices honestly: the full monthly carrying gap plus the down-payment gap, invested to retirement, in years of freedom.

    Inputs:
    Larger home price, Smaller home price, Down payment, Mortgage rate, Loan term, Property tax rate, Annual maintenance, Annual return, Years to retirement, Annual retirement spending
    Outputs:
    Extra retirement savings from buying smaller, Monthly carrying gap, Down-payment gap, invested day one, Years of retirement spending covered, Extra income at the 4 percent rule

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/buy-smaller-retire-sooner-calculator

Real Estate Investing

  • Rental Property ROI Calculator

    Find a long-term rental's cap rate, cash-on-cash return, monthly cash flow, and total return over your holding period, with financing handled correctly.

    Inputs:
    Purchase price, Down payment, Interest rate, Loan term, Closing costs, Upfront repairs, Monthly rent, Vacancy rate, Property tax rate, Insurance, Maintenance, Property management, Monthly HOA dues, Annual appreciation, Holding period, Selling costs
    Outputs:
    Cash-on-cash return, Cap rate, Net operating income, Monthly cash flow, Annual cash flow, Total cash invested, Total profit over holding period, Total return, Annualized return

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/rental-property-roi-calculator

  • Airbnb ROI Calculator

    Estimate a short-term rental's cap rate, cash-on-cash return, cash flow, and total return from your nightly rate and occupancy, with STR expenses included.

    Inputs:
    Purchase price, Down payment, Interest rate, Loan term, Closing costs, Furnishing and setup, Average nightly rate, Occupancy rate, Property tax rate, Insurance, Maintenance, Property management, Platform fee, Monthly utilities, Monthly supplies, Monthly HOA dues, Annual appreciation, Holding period, Selling costs
    Outputs:
    Cash-on-cash return, Cap rate, Annual revenue, Net operating income, Monthly cash flow, Annual cash flow, Total cash invested, Total profit over holding period, Total return, Annualized return

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/airbnb-roi-calculator

  • Airbnb Charge-Rate Calculator

    Find what to charge per night for your short-term rental: a cost floor, a comp-based base rate, weekend and peak premiums, and length-of-stay discounts.

    Inputs:
    Total monthly costs, Target booked nights, Comparable market rate, Profit margin over floor, Weekend premium, Peak-season premium, Cleaning fee, Weekly-stay discount, Monthly-stay discount
    Outputs:
    Recommended base rate, Nightly floor (break-even), Weekend rate, Peak-season rate, Weekly-stay nightly, Monthly-stay nightly, Projected monthly revenue, RevPAN (per available night), Cleaning fee (pass-through)

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/airbnb-charge-rate-calculator

  • Airbnb Startup Cost Calculator

    Build an itemized, all-in budget to launch a short-term rental: furnishing by room, the soft-cost stack, a contingency, and the operating reserve.

    Inputs:
    Host path, Access cash to get the keys, Bedrooms to furnish, Furnishing per bedroom, Common-area furnishing, Technology and safety, Initial supplies and consumables, Professional photography, Permits and licensing, Short-term rental insurance (first year), Legal and entity setup, Contingency, Monthly carrying cost, Reserve months, Expected monthly net income
    Outputs:
    Total cash to launch, Total startup spend, Setup spend, Furnishing total, Setup soft costs, Contingency, Recommended reserve, Months to recoup spend

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/airbnb-startup-cost-calculator

  • Fix and Flip ROI Calculator

    Estimate a flip's net profit, ROI, cash to close, and your maximum allowable offer with the 70 percent rule, including financing and holding costs.

    Inputs:
    Purchase price, Rehab budget, After-repair value (ARV), Holding period, Down payment, Loan interest rate, Loan points, Buying closing costs, Selling costs, Extra selling cost, Property tax rate, Insurance, Monthly utilities
    Outputs:
    Net profit, Return on cash invested, Annualized return, Max allowable offer (70% rule), Adjusted max allowable offer, Total project cost, Total cash invested, Cash to close, Financing cost, Loan points fee, Holding costs, Selling costs

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/fix-and-flip-calculator

  • DSCR Loan Calculator

    Calculate a rental property's debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) from rent and PITIA, and check it against common 1.0 to 1.25 lender thresholds.

    Inputs:
    Monthly rent, Vacancy allowance, Loan amount, Interest rate, Loan term, Property tax, Insurance, Association dues, Target DSCR, Payment type
    Outputs:
    DSCR, Where this lands, Effective monthly income, Monthly debt service (PITIA), Monthly cash flow, Max loan at target DSCR

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/dscr-loan-calculator

  • House Hacking Calculator

    See how renting out the other unit or rooms offsets your mortgage: net rental income, the percent tenants cover, and your true out-of-pocket housing cost.

    Inputs:
    Monthly housing payment, Rent from the other units or rooms, Vacancy rate, Maintenance reserve, Property management
    Outputs:
    Effective out-of-pocket housing cost, Net rental income, Share of payment covered by rent, Where this lands

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/house-hacking-calculator

  • BRRRR Calculator

    Model a BRRRR deal end to end: buy, rehab, rent, and cash-out refinance, to see how much cash you pull back out and how much stays in the deal.

    Inputs:
    Purchase price, Rehab cost, Buy-side closing and holding costs, After-repair value (ARV), Refinance LTV, Refinance closing costs, Existing loan payoff, Monthly rent, Refinance interest rate, Refinance term, Property tax, Insurance, Vacancy rate, Maintenance, Property management
    Outputs:
    Cash left in the deal, Cash recovered at refinance, Total cash invested, New loan (cash-out refinance), Monthly cash flow after refinance, Cash-on-cash return, Capital recovery

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/brrrr-calculator

  • Cap Rate Calculator

    Calculate a property's cap rate from net operating income and value, with vacancy and operating-expense inputs, plus the implied value at a target cap rate.

    Inputs:
    Property value or purchase price, Monthly rent, Vacancy rate, Property tax rate, Insurance, Maintenance, Property management, Monthly HOA dues, Target cap rate
    Outputs:
    Cap rate, Net operating income, Implied value at target cap rate

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/cap-rate-calculator

  • Rent vs Sell Calculator

    Compare keeping and renting your home against selling now and reinvesting the proceeds, with a year-by-year wealth projection and the crossover year.

    Inputs:
    Current home value, Mortgage balance, Mortgage rate, Years left on the mortgage, Monthly rent, Vacancy rate, Maintenance, Property management, Property tax, Insurance, Annual appreciation, Cost to sell, Reinvestment return, Time horizon
    Outputs:
    Wealth if you rent, Wealth if you sell, Rent minus sell, Net proceeds if you sell today, Crossover year, At this horizon

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/rent-vs-sell-calculator

  • Gross Rent Multiplier Calculator

    Screen a rental deal fast with the gross rent multiplier, price divided by gross annual rent, with a 1 percent rule check and the implied price at a target GRM.

    Inputs:
    Property price, Monthly rent, Target GRM
    Outputs:
    Gross rent multiplier, Gross annual rent, Rent as percent of price, Implied price at target GRM, What this means

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/gross-rent-multiplier-calculator

  • 1031 Exchange Calculator

    See the tax a 1031 exchange defers on an investment property sale: 25% depreciation recapture, capital gains, and NIIT, plus the reinvestment bar for deferral.

    Inputs:
    Sale price, Selling costs, Original purchase price, Capital improvements, Depreciation claimed, Other taxable income, Filing status
    Outputs:
    Tax deferred by exchanging, Realized gain, Adjusted basis, Net sale price, Unrecaptured depreciation, Recapture tax (25%), Capital gains tax, Net investment income tax (3.8%), Net proceeds if sold without exchanging, For full deferral

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/1031-exchange-calculator

Retirement & FIRE

  • 401(k) Calculator

    Project your 401(k) balance at retirement from your contributions, the employer match, expected return, and salary growth, including the match as free money.

    Inputs:
    Current 401(k) balance, Annual salary, Your contribution, Employer match rate, Employer match cap, Expected annual return, Years to retirement, Annual salary growth
    Outputs:
    Balance at retirement, Your contributions, Employer match (free money), Investment growth, Contribution limit

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/401k-calculator

  • FIRE Calculator

    Find your financial independence number and how many years until you reach it, modeled in today's dollars using the 4% rule.

    Inputs:
    Current age, Current savings, Annual income, Annual expenses, Real return (after inflation), Withdrawal rate
    Outputs:
    Your FIRE number, Years to FIRE, Age at FIRE, Annual savings, Savings rate

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/fire-calculator

  • Roth vs Traditional Calculator

    Compare a Roth and a Traditional account on equal pre-tax dollars, and see which leaves you more after tax based on your current and retirement tax rates.

    Inputs:
    Annual contribution, Years until retirement, Expected annual return, Contribution growth, Current tax rate, Retirement tax rate
    Outputs:
    Better option, After-tax difference (Roth minus Traditional), Roth, after tax, Traditional, after tax, Pre-tax future value

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/roth-vs-traditional-calculator

  • Retirement On-Track Calculator

    See whether your savings are on track: project your nest egg to retirement and compare it with the target needed to fund your income at a safe withdrawal rate.

    Inputs:
    Current age, Retirement age, Current retirement savings, Annual contribution, Contribution growth, Expected annual return, Desired annual income in retirement, Safe withdrawal rate
    Outputs:
    On-track status, Surplus or shortfall, Projected nest egg at retirement, Target nest egg, Extra annual savings to close the gap, Years to retirement

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/retirement-on-track-calculator

  • Roth Conversion Ladder Calculator

    Estimate the tax of converting a Traditional balance to Roth over several years, including the pro-rata split when the account holds after-tax basis.

    Inputs:
    Traditional balance, After-tax basis, Annual conversion amount, Years of conversions, Expected annual return, Marginal tax rate
    Outputs:
    Total conversion tax, Total converted to Roth, Taxable portion, Tax-free basis portion, Remaining Traditional balance

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/roth-conversion-ladder-calculator

  • Coast FIRE Calculator

    Find your Coast FIRE number: the amount invested today that grows on its own to your FIRE target by retirement, so you can stop saving for retirement.

    Inputs:
    Current age, Retirement age, Current invested amount, Annual contribution, Annual spending in retirement, Real return (after inflation), Withdrawal rate
    Outputs:
    Coast FIRE number, FIRE number at retirement, Coast FIRE status, Surplus or gap, Age you can start coasting

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/coast-fire-calculator

  • Net Worth Percentile Calculator

    See where your net worth ranks among US households, using percentile estimates from the 2022 SCF microdata plus the Federal Reserve median for your age group.

    Inputs:
    Your net worth, Your age group
    Outputs:
    Your net worth percentile (all US households), Median net worth for your age group, Versus your age group, To reach the next percentile tier

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/net-worth-percentile-calculator

  • RMD Calculator

    Calculate your 2026 required minimum distribution from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, with the SECURE 2.0 start ages (73, or 75 if born 1960 or later).

    Inputs:
    Year of birth, Retirement balance on December 31 last year
    Outputs:
    2026 required minimum distribution, Distribution period (IRS factor), Share of balance required, Monthly equivalent, Your RMD beginning age, First RMD year, Where you stand

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/rmd-calculator

  • Retirement Calculator

    Project your retirement savings to any age and see the monthly income they could sustain: contributions, compound growth, and the withdrawal-rate math.

    Inputs:
    Current age, Retirement age, Current retirement savings, Monthly contribution, Expected annual return, Withdrawal rate in retirement
    Outputs:
    Balance at retirement, Monthly income it could sustain, Annual income it could sustain, Years until retirement, Total contributed, Investment growth

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/retirement-calculator

  • Net Worth Calculator

    Tally your net worth: six asset categories minus five debt categories, with home and non-home wealth separated and your debt-to-asset ratio alongside.

    Inputs:
    Cash and savings, Investments (brokerage), Retirement accounts, Home value, Vehicles, Other assets, Mortgage balance, Auto loans, Student loans, Credit card debt, Other debts
    Outputs:
    Net worth, Total assets, Total liabilities, Net worth excluding home equity, Debt-to-asset ratio

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/net-worth-calculator

  • Social Security Calculator

    Estimate your Social Security benefit from career-average earnings and compare claiming at 62, 67, and 70, with the break-even ages that decide the timing.

    Inputs:
    Career-average annual earnings, Claiming age
    Outputs:
    Monthly benefit at your claiming age, Annual benefit, Benefit at full retirement age (67), If claimed at 62, If claimed at 70, Monthly earnings used in the formula

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/social-security-calculator

  • Roth IRA Calculator

    Project a Roth IRA to retirement with the 2026 limits ($7,500, plus $1,100 at 50) and check your income phase-out eligibility.

    Inputs:
    Current age, Retirement age, Current Roth IRA balance, Contribution plan, Annual contribution (fixed plan), Expected annual return, Modified AGI this year, Filing status
    Outputs:
    Balance at retirement, Tax-free growth, Total contributed, 2026 limit at your age, Allowed this year (after phase-out), Eligibility

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/roth-ira-calculator

  • Liquid Net Worth Calculator

    See how much of your net worth you could actually spend soon: cash, investments, and penalty-adjusted retirement money, next to the wealth locked in your home.

    Inputs:
    Cash and savings, Brokerage investments, Retirement accounts, Retirement access percent, Home value, Vehicles, Other assets, Mortgage balance, Auto loans, Student loans, Credit card debt, Other debts, Monthly essential expenses
    Outputs:
    Liquid net worth, Total net worth, Locked-up wealth, Liquid share of total, Months of essentials covered

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/liquid-net-worth-calculator

  • 401(k) Match Calculator

    See what your employer 401(k) match is really worth by retirement: the deposits, the growth on them, and what skipping the match would forfeit.

    Inputs:
    Annual salary, Your contribution, Employer match rate, Employer match cap, Expected annual return, Years to retirement, Annual salary growth
    Outputs:
    What the match is worth at retirement, Employer deposits over the years, Growth earned on the match, Match as a percent of salary, Balance with the match, Balance without the match, Match unclaimed this year, Contribution limit

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/401k-match-calculator

  • Childcare vs Retirement Calculator

    Quantify what pausing, reducing, or maintaining retirement contributions through the childcare years does to your balance at retirement, judgment-free.

    Inputs:
    Monthly childcare cost, Years of childcare costs, Current monthly retirement contribution, Reduced contribution during childcare, Expected annual return, Years to retirement
    Outputs:
    Retirement cost of pausing, Retirement cost of reducing, Contributions balance if maintained, Gap on the day childcare ends (pause), Extra monthly to erase a full pause, Total childcare spend

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/childcare-vs-retirement-calculator

  • Social Security COLA

    Apply the official 2026 COLA of 2.8 percent to your benefit with SSA's real rounding rules, and see the net raise after the Medicare Part B increase.

    Inputs:
    Current monthly benefit (2025), Benefit type, Medicare Part B, Part B premium, 2025, Part B premium, 2026, What-if COLA rate, Use the CPI-E what-if rate
    Outputs:
    Your 2026 monthly benefit (gross), Gross monthly increase, Realized increase, Gross increase per year, Net monthly increase after Part B, Your 2026 payable check, Hold-harmless rule, How you compare, What-if: monthly difference vs 2.8 percent

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/social-security-cola-calculator

Saving & Goals

  • Inflation Calculator (CPI)

    Convert a dollar amount between years using official BLS CPI-U data, or project its future buying power at an assumed inflation rate.

    Inputs:
    Mode, Amount, From year (historical), To year (historical), Years to project (projection), Assumed annual inflation (projection)
    Outputs:
    Equivalent value, Future purchasing power, Total inflation over the span, Annual inflation rate, Span

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/inflation-calculator

  • High-Yield Savings (APY) Calculator

    Project a high-yield savings balance from a quoted APY, a starting balance, and monthly deposits, and see why compounding frequency does not change the yield.

    Inputs:
    Starting balance, Monthly deposit, APY, Compounding frequency, Years
    Outputs:
    Final balance, Total deposited, Interest earned, Rate per compounding period

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/high-yield-savings-calculator

  • Emergency Fund Calculator

    Find how large your emergency fund should be from your essential monthly expenses, see how many months your current savings cover, and the gap left to close.

    Inputs:
    Essential monthly expenses, Months of coverage, Current emergency savings
    Outputs:
    Emergency fund target, Still to save, Saved above target, Months currently covered

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/emergency-fund-calculator

  • Layoff Runway Calculator

    See how many months your savings last after a layoff from essential spending, severance weeks, unemployment benefits, and side income, plus what extends it.

    Inputs:
    Liquid savings, Essential monthly spending, Monthly take-home pay before the layoff, Severance, Unemployment benefit, Benefit duration, Side income
    Outputs:
    Runway, Money runs out around, Starting cash cushion, Monthly burn while benefits last, Monthly burn after benefits end, Where this lands

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/layoff-runway-calculator

  • HSA Calculator

    Project an HSA balance with the 2026 limits ($4,400 self-only, $8,750 family): tax savings now, tax-free growth, and the balance at any horizon.

    Inputs:
    HDHP coverage type, Age 55 or older, Annual contribution, Current HSA balance, Years to grow, Expected annual return, Marginal tax rate
    Outputs:
    Projected HSA balance, 2026 contribution limit, Contribution modeled, Limit check, Income tax saved per year, Income tax saved over the horizon, Total contributed, Tax-free growth

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/hsa-calculator

  • 529 College Savings Calculator

    Project a 529 balance against the future cost of college: tuition inflation, coverage percent, the shortfall, and the monthly contribution that would fund it.

    Inputs:
    Child's age, College start age, Current 529 balance, Monthly contribution, Expected annual return, Annual college cost today, College cost inflation, Years of college
    Outputs:
    Projected 529 balance at college start, Projected cost of college, Coverage, Shortfall at college start, Surplus above the projected cost, Monthly contribution for full coverage, Total contributed, Tax-free growth

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/529-college-savings-calculator

  • CD Calculator

    See what a certificate of deposit earns: enter the deposit, APY, and term to get the ending balance, total interest, and month-by-month growth.

    Inputs:
    Deposit amount, APY, Term
    Outputs:
    Balance at maturity, Interest earned, Total return over the term

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/cd-calculator

  • Savings Calculator

    Project a savings balance from a starting amount, monthly deposits, and your account's APY: the ending balance, deposits, and interest earned, year by year.

    Inputs:
    Starting balance, Monthly deposit, APY, Years to save
    Outputs:
    Ending balance, Total deposited, Interest earned

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/savings-calculator

  • Life Insurance Needs Calculator

    Size life insurance with the DIME method: debts, income replacement, mortgage, and education, minus the coverage and savings you already have.

    Inputs:
    Annual income to replace, Years of income support, Debts (non-mortgage), Mortgage balance, Education costs, Final expenses, Existing life insurance, Savings and investments
    Outputs:
    Coverage needed, DIME total, Income replacement portion, Already covered, As a multiple of income

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/life-insurance-needs-calculator

  • 50/30/20 Budget Calculator

    Split your monthly take-home pay by the 50/30/20 rule (needs, wants, saving and debt payoff) and compare your actual spending against each target.

    Inputs:
    Monthly take-home pay, Monthly needs spending, Monthly wants spending, Monthly saving and extra debt payoff
    Outputs:
    Saving and debt target (20%), Needs target (50%), Wants target (30%), Total entered spending, Unassigned take-home, Where you stand

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/50-30-20-budget-calculator

  • Opportunity Cost Calculator

    See what a big purchase costs in future dollars: the same money invested at your return, in today's dollars too, and against a home down payment.

    Inputs:
    One-time amount, Monthly amount, Annual return, Years invested, Inflation rate, Mortgage rate
    Outputs:
    Invested future value, Total you would put in, Growth on top, Future value in today's dollars, Down-payment path (lump sum), Investing minus down payment

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/opportunity-cost-calculator

  • Couples Money Checkup

    The one-income-loss test for two-income households: months of runway if either paycheck stops, your household savings rate, and an honest verdict band.

    Inputs:
    Partner A monthly take-home, Partner B monthly take-home, Essential monthly expenses, Liquid savings
    Outputs:
    Household verdict, Runway if Partner A's income stops, Runway if Partner B's income stops, Runway if all income stops, Monthly surplus after essentials, Household savings capacity

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/couples-money-checkup-calculator

  • Pay Raise Splitter

    Split a raise among lifestyle, investing, and debt, after the marginal tax haircut, and see what each leg builds over 10, 20, and 30 years.

    Inputs:
    Annual raise (gross), Current salary, Marginal tax on the raise, Lifestyle share, Investing share, Debt share, Annual return, Debt APR
    Outputs:
    Your raise, after tax, per month, Lifestyle leg, Investing leg, Debt leg, Investing leg in 30 years, Lifestyle leg's 30-year price tag, Debt leg: interest avoided per year, Unallocated share, Raise as a percent of salary

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/pay-raise-splitter-calculator

  • Stay-at-Home Parent Cost Calculator

    Price what it would actually cost to replace a stay-at-home parent's work: childcare, housekeeping, meals, driving, and coordination at sourced market rates.

    Inputs:
    Children needing care, Childcare per child, monthly, Housekeeping, monthly, Meal prep, monthly, Driving kids and errands, monthly, Care coordination and admin, monthly, Years the services are needed
    Outputs:
    Annual replacement cost, Monthly replacement cost, Total over the years needed, Childcare share of the total

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/stay-at-home-parent-calculator

Investing

  • Compound Interest Calculator

    See how an investment grows from a starting amount plus regular contributions, with an optional yearly contribution increase, in today's dollars and after tax.

    Inputs:
    Starting amount, Recurring contribution, Contribution frequency, Yearly contribution increase, Annual interest rate, Years, Compounding frequency, Contribution timing, Inflation rate, Tax rate on gains
    Outputs:
    Future balance, Total contributions, Interest earned, Future balance (today's dollars), After-tax balance, Estimated tax on gains

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/compound-interest-calculator

  • Options Profit and Loss Calculator

    Find a single option's profit or loss at expiry, its break-even price, and the maximum profit and loss, for calls and puts, long or short.

    Inputs:
    Option type, Position, Strike price, Premium per share, Underlying price at expiry, Contracts
    Outputs:
    Profit or loss at expiry, Break-even price, Maximum profit, Maximum loss, Intrinsic value per share, Capital at risk, Return on capital

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/options-pl-calculator

  • Wheel Strategy Calculator

    Estimate one wheel cycle: cash-secured put premium, covered call premium, dividends, and the return on capital if assigned and called away, at your prices.

    Inputs:
    Put strike, Put premium per share, Call strike, Call premium per share, Dividends per share while held, Days in the cycle, Contracts
    Outputs:
    Total profit this cycle, Premium income, Dividend income, Share gain if called away, Capital at risk, Cost basis if assigned, Break-even price, Return on capital (this cycle), Annualized return (scenario), Annualized return, premium only (scenario)

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/wheel-strategy-calculator

  • Portfolio Growth Calculator

    Project an investment portfolio from a starting balance plus regular contributions that can rise each year, and see how much is your money versus growth.

    Inputs:
    Starting balance, Recurring contribution, Contribution frequency, Yearly contribution increase, Annual return, Years
    Outputs:
    Future value, Total contributed, Total growth

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/portfolio-growth-calculator

  • Investment Goal Calculator

    Find how much to invest each month or year to reach a savings goal by a target date, given an assumed return and any amount you have already saved.

    Inputs:
    Goal amount, Years to reach it, Annual return, Amount already saved, Contribution frequency
    Outputs:
    Required contribution, That is per year, Your current savings grow to, Total you contribute, Total growth

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/investment-goal-calculator

  • Dollar-Cost Averaging Calculator

    See how investing a fixed amount on a regular schedule could grow under a steady assumed return, with the balance and amount invested tracked period by period.

    Inputs:
    Starting amount, Contribution each period, Contribution frequency, Annual return, Years, Contribution timing
    Outputs:
    Ending balance, Total contributed, Total growth

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/dollar-cost-averaging-calculator

Loans & Debt

  • Debt Snowball vs Avalanche Calculator

    Compare the debt snowball and debt avalanche side by side: the payoff order, the interest each costs, and how much the avalanche saves on up to four debts.

    Inputs:
    Debt 1 balance, Debt 1 rate, Debt 1 minimum payment, Debt 2 balance, Debt 2 rate, Debt 2 minimum payment, Debt 3 balance, Debt 3 rate, Debt 3 minimum payment, Debt 4 balance, Debt 4 rate, Debt 4 minimum payment, Extra monthly payment
    Outputs:
    Interest saved with avalanche, Snowball payoff time, Avalanche payoff time, Snowball total interest, Avalanche total interest, Snowball payoff order, Avalanche payoff order, Monthly payment budget, Total debt entered

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/debt-snowball-avalanche-calculator

  • Credit Card Payoff Calculator

    See how fast a fixed payment clears your credit card and what you save versus paying only the minimum, where interest can outlast the balance by decades.

    Inputs:
    Card balance, Interest rate (APR), Your monthly payment, Minimum principal rate, Minimum payment floor
    Outputs:
    Time to payoff (your payment), Total interest (your payment), Total paid (your payment), Interest saved vs minimum only, Time to payoff (minimum only), Total interest (minimum only), First minimum payment

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/credit-card-payoff-calculator

  • Student Loan Payoff Calculator

    See how extra monthly payments shorten your student loan payoff and cut total interest, with the months and interest you save versus paying the minimum.

    Inputs:
    Current loan balance, Interest rate, Monthly payment, Extra monthly payment
    Outputs:
    Time to payoff (with extra), Total interest (with extra), Interest saved vs no extra, Time saved vs no extra, Time to payoff (payment only), Total interest (payment only), What this means

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/student-loan-payoff-calculator

  • Personal Loan Calculator

    Price a personal loan: monthly payment, total interest, and the origination fee handled both ways lenders charge it, deducted from proceeds or financed on top.

    Inputs:
    Loan amount, APR, Term, Origination fee, How the fee is charged
    Outputs:
    Monthly payment, Cash you actually receive, Origination fee, Total interest, Total of payments, Total cost of borrowing

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/personal-loan-calculator

  • Debt Consolidation Calculator

    Compare a consolidation loan against your current debts: interest saved or lost, the payment change, and the blended APR you are actually paying today.

    Inputs:
    Debt 1 balance, Debt 1 rate, Debt 1 minimum payment, Debt 2 balance, Debt 2 rate, Debt 2 minimum payment, Debt 3 balance, Debt 3 rate, Debt 3 minimum payment, Consolidation loan APR, Loan term, Origination fee
    Outputs:
    Saved by consolidating, Consolidation loan payment, Current minimums (total), Monthly payment change, Current-path interest, Loan interest plus fee, Current path, Loan term, Blended APR today, Origination fee

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/debt-consolidation-calculator

  • RAP Student Loan Calculator

    Estimate your Repayment Assistance Plan payment from AGI and dependents, then project the loan to payoff or forgiveness with RAP's waiver and match.

    Inputs:
    Adjusted gross income, Dependents, Federal loan balance, Interest rate
    Outputs:
    RAP monthly payment, How it was set, First month's interest, Interest waived (first month), Principal match (first month), Months to payoff, Balance forgiven at 30 years, Total you pay, Total interest waived, Total principal matched

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/repayment-assistance-plan-calculator

  • Balance Transfer Calculator

    Price a 0 percent balance transfer honestly: the payment that clears it inside the promo, the fee break-even, and the balance left when the promo dies.

    Inputs:
    Balance to transfer, Current card APR, Transfer fee, Promo APR, Promo length, Your planned monthly payment, APR after the promo
    Outputs:
    Payment to clear inside the promo, Transfer fee, Total cost with the transfer, Total cost staying put, Savings from transferring, Fee break-even, Balance the month the promo ends, First month of post-promo interest

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/balance-transfer-calculator

Auto & Car Loans

  • Auto Loan Calculator

    Estimate a car loan's monthly payment, total interest, and total cost from the price, your down payment and trade-in, the sales tax, the rate, and the term.

    Inputs:
    Vehicle price, Down payment, Trade-in value, Sales tax, Interest rate (APR), Loan term
    Outputs:
    Monthly payment, Amount financed, Total interest, Total of payments, Total cost (with down payment)

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/auto-loan-calculator

  • Car Affordability Calculator

    Estimate how much car you can afford from your income, down payment, rate, term, and a payment-to-income guideline, then see the all-in monthly cost.

    Inputs:
    Gross annual income, Max car payment as % of income, Down payment, Interest rate (APR), Loan term, Sales tax, Insurance per year, Fuel per month, Maintenance per year
    Outputs:
    Affordable vehicle price, Monthly payment budget, Amount financed, All-in monthly cost, Total cost over the term, Estimated value at term end

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/car-affordability-calculator

  • Car Buy vs Lease Calculator

    Compare buying and leasing the same car over the lease term, with the buy side credited for its resale equity and the lease ending with nothing.

    Inputs:
    Vehicle price, Lease term (comparison horizon), Buy: down payment, Buy: loan APR, Buy: loan term, Buy: annual depreciation, Lease: cash down (cap cost reduction), Lease: residual value, Lease: rate type, Lease: rate, Lease: acquisition fee, Lease: disposition fee
    Outputs:
    Which is cheaper, Buy: net cost over the term, Lease: net cost over the term, Cost difference, Buy: monthly payment, Buy: equity at term end, Buy: loan balance at term end, Lease: monthly payment, Lease: depreciation portion, Lease: finance (rent) portion, Lease: equivalent APR

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/car-buy-vs-lease-calculator

  • EV vs Gas Savings Calculator

    Compare EV and gas costs: cost per mile at your electricity and gas prices, annual and five-year savings, and the purchase premium those savings justify.

    Inputs:
    Miles driven per year, EV efficiency, Electricity price, Gas car fuel economy, Gas price, Years to compare, Annual maintenance savings
    Outputs:
    Total savings over the horizon, Savings per year, Fuel savings per year, EV cost per mile, Gas cost per mile, Annual charging cost, Annual gasoline cost, EV price premium these savings repay

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/ev-vs-gas-calculator

Taxes

  • Capital Gains Tax Calculator

    Estimate the 2026 federal tax on an investment gain: long-term 0/15/20 percent rates, short-term ordinary rates, and the 3.8 percent net investment income tax.

    Inputs:
    Filing status, Purchase price (cost basis), Sale price (proceeds), Holding period, Other taxable income
    Outputs:
    Total tax on the gain, Holding period, Capital gain, Capital gains tax, Net investment income tax, Effective rate on the gain, Gain after tax

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/capital-gains-tax-calculator

  • Federal Income Tax Calculator

    Estimate your 2026 federal income tax and FICA: taxable income after the standard deduction, tax from the brackets, and your effective and marginal rates.

    Inputs:
    Annual income (gross), Filing status, 401(k) contribution, Other pre-tax deductions
    Outputs:
    Total federal tax (income + FICA), Federal income tax, Taxable income, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, Total FICA, Effective tax rate, Marginal tax rate, After-tax income, 401(k) limit

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/federal-income-tax-calculator

  • Home Sale Capital Gains Calculator

    Estimate the 2026 federal tax on selling your primary home after the Section 121 exclusion: adjusted basis, taxable gain, and long-term capital gains tax.

    Inputs:
    Filing status, Sale price, Selling costs, Original purchase price, Purchase closing costs, Capital improvements, Owned and lived in it 2 of the last 5 years, Other taxable income
    Outputs:
    Total federal tax, What this means, Total gain, Excluded by Section 121, Taxable gain, Adjusted basis, Amount realized, Capital gains tax, Net investment income tax, Effective rate on the gain

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/home-sale-capital-gains-calculator

  • Tax Refund Calculator

    Estimate your 2026 federal tax refund or balance due: brackets, standard or itemized deduction, the Child Tax Credit, and your withholding, line by line.

    Inputs:
    Total income (gross), Filing status, Pre-tax deductions, Deduction, Itemized deduction total, Qualifying children under 17, Other dependents, Federal tax withheld
    Outputs:
    Estimated refund, Estimated amount owed, Taxable income, Tax before credits, Credits applied against tax, Refundable child credit (ACTC), Total tax after credits

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/tax-refund-calculator

  • Self-Employment Tax Calculator

    Estimate 2026 taxes on 1099 income: the 15.3% self-employment tax, the half-SE deduction, the 20% QBI deduction, federal income tax, and what to set aside.

    Inputs:
    Net self-employment profit, Filing status, W-2 wages (if any), Qualified business income deduction
    Outputs:
    Self-employment tax, Social Security portion, Medicare portion, Additional Medicare (0.9%), Half-SE-tax deduction, QBI deduction, Taxable income, Federal income tax, Total federal tax, Tax from self-employment, Set aside from each profit dollar

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/self-employment-tax-calculator

  • Bonus Tax Calculator

    See what a bonus pays after withholding in 2026: the flat 22% federal supplemental rate (37% above $1M), Social Security and Medicare, and your state's rate.

    Inputs:
    Bonus amount, Wages so far this year, Filing status, State supplemental rate
    Outputs:
    Net bonus, Federal withholding (22% flat), Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, State withholding, Total withheld, Withholding rate

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/bonus-tax-calculator

  • Quarterly Estimated Tax Calculator

    Turn your expected 2026 tax into four safe-harbor payments: the 90% and 100/110% rules, your withholding credit, and the exact 1040-ES deadlines.

    Inputs:
    Expected 2026 total tax, Total tax on your 2025 return, 2025 adjusted gross income, Expected 2026 withholding
    Outputs:
    Payment per quarter, Safe-harbor annual target, To pay via estimates, Which rule applies

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/quarterly-estimated-tax-calculator

  • Tax Loss Harvesting Calculator

    Price a harvested loss: gains offset in the IRS netting order, the $3,000 ordinary-income deduction, the carryforward, and a wash-sale window check.

    Inputs:
    Loss you can harvest, Holding period of the loss, Short-term gains this year, Long-term gains this year, Marginal ordinary rate, Long-term capital gains rate, Days to nearest same-security purchase
    Outputs:
    Tax saved this year, Offsets short-term gains, Offsets long-term gains, Deducts against ordinary income, Carries forward to next year, Wash-sale check

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/tax-loss-harvesting-calculator

Paycheck & Take-Home Pay

  • California Paycheck Calculator

    Estimate your California take-home pay for 2026 after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and California state income tax.

    Inputs:
    Annual salary (gross), Filing status, Pay frequency, 401(k) contribution, Other pre-tax deductions
    Outputs:
    Take-home per paycheck, Annual take-home, Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, State income tax, Total tax, 401(k) contribution, 401(k) limit, Effective tax rate, Marginal tax rate, California payroll premiums

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/ca-paycheck-calculator

  • Texas Paycheck Calculator

    Estimate your Texas take-home pay for 2026 after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and no state income tax in Texas.

    Inputs:
    Annual salary (gross), Filing status, Pay frequency, 401(k) contribution, Other pre-tax deductions
    Outputs:
    Take-home per paycheck, Annual take-home, Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, State income tax, Total tax, 401(k) contribution, 401(k) limit, Effective tax rate, Marginal tax rate

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/tx-paycheck-calculator

  • New York Paycheck Calculator

    Estimate your New York take-home pay for 2026 after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and New York state income tax.

    Inputs:
    Annual salary (gross), Filing status, Pay frequency, 401(k) contribution, Other pre-tax deductions
    Outputs:
    Take-home per paycheck, Annual take-home, Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, State income tax, Total tax, 401(k) contribution, 401(k) limit, Effective tax rate, Marginal tax rate, New York payroll premiums

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/ny-paycheck-calculator

  • Florida Paycheck Calculator

    Estimate your Florida take-home pay for 2026 after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and no state income tax in Florida.

    Inputs:
    Annual salary (gross), Filing status, Pay frequency, 401(k) contribution, Other pre-tax deductions
    Outputs:
    Take-home per paycheck, Annual take-home, Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, State income tax, Total tax, 401(k) contribution, 401(k) limit, Effective tax rate, Marginal tax rate

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/fl-paycheck-calculator

  • Illinois Paycheck Calculator

    Estimate your Illinois take-home pay for 2026 after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and Illinois state income tax.

    Inputs:
    Annual salary (gross), Filing status, Pay frequency, 401(k) contribution, Other pre-tax deductions
    Outputs:
    Take-home per paycheck, Annual take-home, Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, State income tax, Total tax, 401(k) contribution, 401(k) limit, Effective tax rate, Marginal tax rate

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/il-paycheck-calculator

  • Pennsylvania Paycheck Calculator

    Estimate your Pennsylvania take-home pay for 2026 after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and Pennsylvania state income tax.

    Inputs:
    Annual salary (gross), Filing status, Pay frequency, 401(k) contribution, Other pre-tax deductions
    Outputs:
    Take-home per paycheck, Annual take-home, Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, State income tax, Total tax, 401(k) contribution, 401(k) limit, Effective tax rate, Marginal tax rate, Pennsylvania payroll premiums

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/pa-paycheck-calculator

  • Ohio Paycheck Calculator

    Estimate your Ohio take-home pay for 2026 after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and Ohio state income tax.

    Inputs:
    Annual salary (gross), Filing status, Pay frequency, 401(k) contribution, Other pre-tax deductions
    Outputs:
    Take-home per paycheck, Annual take-home, Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, State income tax, Total tax, 401(k) contribution, 401(k) limit, Effective tax rate, Marginal tax rate

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/oh-paycheck-calculator

  • Georgia Paycheck Calculator

    Estimate your Georgia take-home pay for 2026 after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and Georgia state income tax.

    Inputs:
    Annual salary (gross), Filing status, Pay frequency, 401(k) contribution, Other pre-tax deductions
    Outputs:
    Take-home per paycheck, Annual take-home, Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, State income tax, Total tax, 401(k) contribution, 401(k) limit, Effective tax rate, Marginal tax rate

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/ga-paycheck-calculator

  • North Carolina Paycheck Calculator

    Estimate your North Carolina take-home pay for 2026 after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and North Carolina state income tax.

    Inputs:
    Annual salary (gross), Filing status, Pay frequency, 401(k) contribution, Other pre-tax deductions
    Outputs:
    Take-home per paycheck, Annual take-home, Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, State income tax, Total tax, 401(k) contribution, 401(k) limit, Effective tax rate, Marginal tax rate

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/nc-paycheck-calculator

  • Washington Paycheck Calculator

    Estimate your Washington take-home pay for 2026 after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and no state income tax in Washington.

    Inputs:
    Annual salary (gross), Filing status, Pay frequency, 401(k) contribution, Other pre-tax deductions
    Outputs:
    Take-home per paycheck, Annual take-home, Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, State income tax, Total tax, 401(k) contribution, 401(k) limit, Effective tax rate, Marginal tax rate, Washington payroll premiums

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/wa-paycheck-calculator

  • Salary Calculator

    Convert an annual salary to take-home pay for 2026: federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, a flat state rate, and net pay per paycheck and month.

    Inputs:
    Annual salary (gross), Filing status, Pay frequency, State income tax rate, 401(k) contribution, Other pre-tax deductions
    Outputs:
    Take-home per paycheck, Monthly take-home, Annual take-home, Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, State income tax, Total tax, 401(k) contribution, 401(k) limit, Effective tax rate, Marginal tax rate

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/salary-calculator

  • Hourly Paycheck Calculator

    Convert an hourly wage to annual salary and 2026 take-home pay: gross per week, month, and year, taxes withheld, and what each worked hour really pays.

    Inputs:
    Hourly wage, Hours per week, Weeks worked per year, Filing status, Pay frequency, State income tax rate
    Outputs:
    Take-home per paycheck, Annual salary equivalent, Gross per week, Gross per month, Annual take-home, Monthly take-home, Take-home per hour worked, Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, State income tax, Total tax, Effective tax rate

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/hourly-paycheck-calculator

  • Overtime Pay Calculator

    Compute time-and-a-half earnings and the no-tax-on-overtime deduction: the FLSA premium, the $12,500/$25,000 cap, the income phase-out, and your tax savings.

    Inputs:
    Regular hourly wage, Overtime hours per week, Weeks with overtime per year, Overtime multiplier, Filing status, Modified adjusted gross income, Marginal tax rate
    Outputs:
    Annual overtime earnings, Overtime rate, Overtime pay per week, Half-time premium (deductible base), No-tax-on-overtime deduction, Estimated tax savings, Deduction status

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/overtime-pay-calculator

  • Severance Pay Calculator

    Estimate a severance package and what survives withholding: weeks per year of service, the 22% supplemental rate, FICA, and the net amount to plan around.

    Inputs:
    Annual salary, Years of service, Weeks per year of service, Base weeks (if any), Wages so far this year, Filing status, State supplemental rate
    Outputs:
    Gross severance, Severance weeks, Weekly pay, Federal withholding (22% flat), Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, State withholding, Total withheld, Net severance

    Formula, worked example, and sources: /calculators/severance-pay-calculator

Topics

Nine durable topics organize every guide, data study, and calculator. Each hub links its spokes and the matching calculators; the index is /topics/.

  • Browse by topic

    Browse every FinExplained guide, data study, and calculator by topic: housing, real estate investing, retirement and FIRE, taxes, debt, saving, and net worth.

  • Housing & Mortgages

    Buying, financing, and owning a home: affordability, amortization, closing costs, property taxes, and the rent vs buy decision.

  • Real Estate Investing

    Rentals and short-term rentals as investments: cap rate, cash flow, DSCR loans, BRRRR, and honest Airbnb underwriting.

  • Retirement & FIRE

    Retirement targets and the path to them: the 4 percent rule, FIRE numbers, 401(k) and IRA decisions, and Social Security.

  • Investing

    How money compounds and how to reach a goal: contribution math, index funds vs alternatives, and options income strategies.

  • Taxes

    How US federal taxes work in practice: brackets, capital gains, withholding, and what new tax law means for your refund.

  • Debt & Credit

    Paying debt down faster: payoff order, credit card math, balance transfers, student loans, and car financing.

  • Saving & Emergencies

    Cash you can reach when life changes: emergency funds, savings vehicles, inflation, and one-income resilience.

  • Income & Paycheck

    What your paycheck really pays: take-home math, FICA, severance, overtime and tips, and withholding.

  • Net Worth & Benchmarks

    Where you stand against real data: net worth, 401(k) balances, and retirement savings by age, from the Fed's own surveys.

Data studies

Original studies built from primary data (the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances, BEA, Census, and named provider research). Every table downloads as a CSV under CC BY 4.0, and each study's lead chart and main table are embeddable with attribution built in; the hub is /studies/.

Playbooks

In-depth guides that explain the concepts behind the calculators, each with a named author, cited primary sources, and a last-reviewed date.

Glossary

Plain-language definitions of the finance terms used across the calculators and guides. Each term has its own page with sources at /glossary/. Definitions below are the first sentence of each entry.

  • 1031 Exchange

    A 1031 exchange lets an investor sell investment real estate and roll the proceeds into like-kind replacement property without paying capital gains tax now.

  • 401(k)

    A 401(k) is an employer-sponsored retirement account funded by payroll deferrals you choose, often with an employer match.

  • 401(k) Contribution Limit

    The 401(k) contribution limit is the maximum you can defer from your own pay into a 401(k) each year, set by the IRS.

  • 529 Plan

    A 529 plan is a state-sponsored investment account for education.

  • 70 Percent Rule

    The 70 percent rule is an investor heuristic that caps the price of a fix-and-flip or BRRRR deal at 70 percent of after-repair value minus rehab costs.

  • Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)

    An accessory dwelling unit is a smaller, self-contained home on the lot of a primary residence.

  • Administrative Forbearance

    Administrative forbearance is a pause on federal student loan payments that your servicer or the Department of Education applies without you asking for it.

  • After Repair Value (ARV)

    After repair value is the estimated market value of a property once planned renovations are complete.

  • AIME (Average Indexed Monthly Earnings)

    AIME is the career-average earnings figure behind your Social Security benefit.

  • Amortization

    Amortization is the process of paying off a loan with equal, scheduled payments over a set term.

  • Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

    APR is the yearly cost of a loan expressed as a percentage, including the interest rate plus certain fees and closing costs.

  • Annual Percentage Yield (APY)

    APY is the real rate of return on savings over a year, including the effect of compounding.

  • Assessed Value

    Assessed value is the dollar figure your county assigns a property for tax purposes.

  • Average Daily Rate (ADR)

    ADR is the average price a short-term rental earns per booked night, calculated as room revenue divided by the number of nights booked.

  • Back-End DTI

    Your total monthly debt payments (housing plus car, student loans, and minimum credit-card payments) divided by gross monthly income.

  • Bend Points (Social Security)

    Bend points are the dollar thresholds in the Social Security benefit formula where the replacement rate drops.

  • Break-Even Occupancy

    Break-even occupancy is the share of nights a short-term rental must book to cover all its costs, including the mortgage.

  • Break-Even Point

    The break-even point is when the savings or benefit from a financial decision finally offset its upfront cost.

  • BRRRR Method

    BRRRR stands for Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat.

  • Business License

    A general local registration to operate a business, sometimes required in addition to a dedicated STR permit.

  • Buying Power

    The home price your income, debts, down payment, and current rate let you afford.

  • Capital Gains Tax

    Capital gains tax is the tax on profit from selling an asset like stock or property.

  • Capital Improvement

    A capital improvement is a change that adds value to a property or prolongs its life, such as a renovation, an addition, or a new roof.

  • Capitalization Rate (Cap Rate)

    Cap rate is a rental property's net operating income divided by its price or value, shown as a percentage.

  • Capitalized Interest

    Capitalized interest is unpaid interest that gets added to your loan principal, so you start paying interest on the interest.

  • Cash Reserves

    Liquid savings left after closing, often measured in months of housing payments.

  • Cash to Close

    The total cash you need at closing: down payment plus closing costs plus prepaids, minus any lender or seller credits.

  • Cash-on-Cash Return

    Cash-on-cash return is the annual pre-tax cash flow a property produces divided by the actual cash you invested, shown as a percentage.

  • Cash-Out Refinance

    Replacing a mortgage with a larger one and taking the difference as cash.

  • Certificate of Deposit (CD)

    A CD is a bank deposit that locks your money at a fixed APY for a set term, from a few months to several years.

  • Channel Manager

    Software that syncs a listing's calendar and pricing across multiple booking platforms to prevent double-bookings.

  • Child Tax Credit (CTC)

    The Child Tax Credit is a federal credit of up to $2,200 per qualifying child under 17 for 2026, reducing your tax dollar for dollar.

  • Cleaning Fee

    A guest-paid fee meant to cover turnover cleaning between stays.

  • Closing Costs

    The fees to finalize a mortgage, separate from your down payment, typically 2 to 5 percent of the purchase price (CFPB).

  • Compensating Factors

    Strengths in a loan file that let an underwriter approve a debt-to-income ratio above the standard guideline.

  • Compound Interest

    Compound interest is interest earned on both your original principal and on the interest already added to it.

  • Conventional Loan

    A Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac conforming mortgage qualified on your personal income and debt-to-income ratio.

  • Cost Basis

    Cost basis is what an asset cost you for tax purposes, used to figure your taxable gain.

  • Cost Burdened

    HUD's definition of overstretched housing: a household paying more than 30 percent of gross income for housing, including utilities.

  • Cost Per Mile

    Cost per mile is what a vehicle costs to move one mile: the energy price divided by efficiency.

  • Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA)

    A cost-of-living adjustment is the annual inflation raise applied to Social Security and SSI benefits, 2.8 percent for 2026.

  • Crossover Year

    The crossover year is when one path's cumulative wealth overtakes the other's in a side-by-side projection.

  • Debt Avalanche

    The debt avalanche is a payoff strategy where you target your highest interest rate debt first, while paying minimums on the rest.

  • Debt Consolidation

    Debt consolidation replaces several balances with one loan, ideally at a rate below your balance-weighted average APR.

  • Debt Service

    Debt service is the scheduled principal and interest a borrower pays on a loan.

  • Debt Snowball

    The debt snowball is a payoff strategy where you attack your smallest balance first, regardless of interest rate, while paying minimums on the rest.

  • Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI)

    DTI is your total monthly debt payments divided by your gross monthly income, shown as a percentage.

  • Delayed Financing Exception

    The delayed financing exception is Fannie Mae's carve-out that lets a buyer who paid cash for a property do a cash-out refinance without waiting out the usual six-month title seasoning, subject to the guide's conditions on the original purchase.

  • Depreciation

    Depreciation is the loss of an asset's value over time.

  • Depreciation Recapture

    Depreciation recapture is the tax that reclaims depreciation deductions when you sell: the deductions lowered your basis, so they resurface as gain.

  • DIME Method

    DIME sizes life insurance from four commitments: Debts, Income replacement (annual income times the support years), Mortgage payoff, and Education costs.

  • Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA)

    Dollar-cost averaging is investing a fixed amount on a regular schedule regardless of price, such as every payday.

  • Down Payment

    A down payment is the upfront cash you pay toward a purchase, with the rest financed by a loan.

  • DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio)

    A property's income divided by its debt service (PITIA).

  • Dynamic Pricing

    Software-driven nightly pricing that adjusts rates to demand, seasonality, day of week, and local events.

  • Effective Tax Rate

    Your effective tax rate is your total tax divided by your total income, the average rate you actually pay.

  • Emergency Fund

    An emergency fund is cash set aside for unexpected expenses or a loss of income, typically 3 to 6 months of essential living costs.

  • Employer Match

    An employer match is money your employer adds to your 401(k) based on what you contribute, such as 50 percent of contributions up to 6 percent of pay.

  • Escrow

    Escrow is a lender-held account that collects part of your property taxes and homeowners insurance with each mortgage payment.

  • Estimated Taxes

    Estimated taxes are the quarterly payments the IRS requires on income with no withholding, such as self-employment profit or large investment gains.

  • FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act)

    FICA is the federal payroll tax that funds Social Security and Medicare.

  • FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early)

    FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early.

  • Front-End DTI

    Your total monthly housing payment (PITI plus any HOA) divided by your gross monthly income, shown as a percentage.

  • Full Retirement Age (FRA)

    Full retirement age is when you receive 100 percent of your Social Security benefit: 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later.

  • Furnishing Budget

    The planned spend to furnish and equip a rental before the first booking.

  • Gross Commission Income (GCI)

    Gross commission income is the commission a real estate agent or brokerage earns on a deal before the agent/broker split and before taxes and business costs.

  • Gross Monthly Income

    Your income before taxes and deductions, measured per month (annual income divided by 12).

  • Gross Rent Multiplier (GRM)

    A fast rental screen equal to a property's price divided by its gross annual rent.

  • Gross Rental Income

    Total rent or booking revenue before any expenses.

  • HCOL (High Cost of Living)

    A high-cost-of-living market where home prices, property taxes, and insurance run well above the national norm, so the same income buys far less house.

  • HDHP (High-Deductible Health Plan)

    An HDHP is a health plan with a deductible and out-of-pocket structure that meets IRS minimums, trading lower premiums for more upfront cost sharing.

  • HELOC Draw and Repayment Period

    A home equity line of credit runs in two phases.

  • High-Yield Savings Account (HYSA)

    A high-yield savings account is a federally insured savings account that pays a much higher APY than a typical bank, often many times the national average.

  • Home Equity

    Home equity is the share of your property you actually own: its current market value minus everything you still owe on it.

  • Homeowners Protection Act (HPA)

    The 1998 federal law that ends PMI.

  • Homestead Exemption

    A homestead exemption reduces the taxable value of a home you own and occupy before property tax is computed.

  • House Hacking

    House hacking is living in one part of a property and renting out the rest so the rental income offsets your housing payment.

  • House Poor

    Spending so much on housing that little is left for savings, retirement, and everyday life, even while technically affording the payment.

  • Household Income

    The combined gross income of everyone whose earnings are used to qualify for a mortgage, usually a couple.

  • Housing Payment

    The full monthly cost of owning, principal, interest, taxes, insurance, plus PMI and any HOA dues (PITI plus HOA).

  • HSA (Health Savings Account)

    An HSA is a tax-advantaged account for medical costs, available with a high-deductible health plan.

  • Income-Driven Repayment (IDR)

    Income-driven repayment (IDR) sets your federal student loan payment from your income and family size, not your loan balance.

  • Inflation

    Inflation is the general rise in prices over time, which erodes the purchasing power of money.

  • Investment Property Loan

    A mortgage for an income property.

  • LCOL (Low Cost of Living)

    A low-cost-of-living market where home prices and often taxes run below the national norm, so a given income stretches to a larger or nicer home.

  • Length-of-Stay Discount

    A length-of-stay discount is a lower nightly rate a host offers for longer bookings.

  • Liquid Net Worth

    Liquid net worth is the part of your wealth you could spend soon: cash and taxable investments, plus retirement accounts after early-withdrawal penalties and taxes, minus unsecured debts.

  • LLC (Limited Liability Company)

    A pass-through business entity that can separate business and personal liability if it is properly maintained.

  • Loan Estimate

    A Loan Estimate is a standardized three-page form a lender must give you within three business days of your mortgage application.

  • Loan-to-Value (LTV)

    Loan-to-value is the loan amount divided by the property's value, written as a percentage.

  • Maintenance Reserve

    Money set aside on a schedule for home upkeep and repairs, commonly estimated as a percent of the home's value per year.

  • Marginal Tax Rate

    Your marginal tax rate is the rate applied to your next dollar of income, the top bracket your income reaches.

  • Medicare Tax

    Medicare tax is the 1.45 percent payroll tax employees pay on all wages, matched by the employer, with no wage cap.

  • Minimum Payment

    A minimum payment is the smallest amount you must pay on a credit card or loan each month to stay current.

  • Money Factor

    The money factor is the interest rate on a car lease, expressed as a small decimal instead of a percentage.

  • Mortgage Insurance (MIP)

    FHA mortgage insurance: an upfront premium (1.75 percent of the loan) plus an annual premium.

  • Mortgage Points

    Optional upfront fees paid at closing to lower your interest rate, where one point costs 1 percent of the loan amount.

  • Mortgage Rate Sensitivity

    How much your monthly payment and affordable price change when the mortgage rate moves.

  • Mortgage Recast

    A mortgage recast applies a lump sum to principal and re-amortizes the loan over the same remaining term at the same rate.

  • MPGe

    MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) is the EPA's window-sticker measure of EV efficiency: the miles a vehicle travels on 33.7 kWh, the energy in one gallon of gasoline.

  • Negative Leverage

    Negative leverage is when you borrow at an interest rate higher than the property's cap rate, so taking on more debt actually lowers your cash-on-cash return.

  • Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT)

    The Net Investment Income Tax is a 3.8 percent federal surtax on investment income such as capital gains, dividends, and interest, for taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income is above a statutory threshold.

  • Net Monthly Income

    Your take-home pay after taxes, retirement contributions, and other deductions.

  • Net Operating Income (NOI)

    Net operating income is a rental property's annual income minus its operating expenses, before mortgage payments and income taxes.

  • Net Worth

    Net worth is everything you own minus everything you owe: total assets (cash, investments, retirement accounts, home and car value) minus total liabilities (mortgage, student loans, car loans, and credit card balances).

  • Net Worth Percentile

    Your net worth percentile is where your net worth ranks among households.

  • Occupancy Rate

    Occupancy rate is the share of available nights that are actually booked, calculated as booked nights divided by available nights.

  • Occupancy Tax (Transient Occupancy Tax)

    A per-stay lodging tax collected from guests and remitted to local government, also called transient occupancy tax or hotel tax.

  • Opportunity Cost

    Opportunity cost is the return you give up by leaving money in one use instead of the best alternative.

  • Origination Fee

    An origination fee is what a lender charges to process and underwrite your loan, usually quoted as a percent of the loan amount (often around 0.5 to 1 percent).

  • Orphan Nights

    Orphan nights are the one- or two-night gaps left between bookings that are too short to meet a listing's minimum-stay rule, so they cannot be booked and earn nothing.

  • Overtime Premium

    The overtime premium is the extra pay above your regular rate for hours past 40 a week, the half in time-and-a-half.

  • Owner-Occupancy Requirement

    The owner-occupancy requirement is the rule on owner-occupied loan programs that the borrower actually live in the property.

  • PITI

    PITI stands for principal, interest, taxes, and insurance, the four parts that make up a typical monthly mortgage payment.

  • PMS (Property Management System)

    Software to manage bookings, guest messaging, cleaning schedules, and operations across one or more listings.

  • Portfolio Loan

    A loan a bank keeps on its own books rather than selling to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, which allows more flexible underwriting for borrowers with multiple properties.

  • Pre-Approval

    A lender's conditional estimate of how much it may lend you, based on verified income, debts, and credit.

  • Pre-Qualification

    An informal estimate of how much you might borrow, based on self-reported income and debts with no document verification or credit pull.

  • Prepaids

    Upfront amounts collected at closing to fund your escrow account and cover prepaid interest, property taxes, and homeowners insurance.

  • Prepayment Penalty

    A fee for paying off a loan early, common on DSCR loans and often structured as a step-down over the first several years (for example 5-4-3-2-1 percent).

  • Principal

    Principal is the core amount of money in a loan or an investment, separate from interest.

  • Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)

    PMI is insurance that protects the lender, not you, when your down payment on a conventional loan is under 20 percent.

  • Property Management Fee

    What a manager or co-host charges to run a rental, often 20 percent or more of revenue for short-term rentals.

  • QBI Deduction (Qualified Business Income)

    The QBI deduction lets most self-employed people and pass-through business owners deduct 20 percent of qualified business income from taxable income under IRC Section 199A.

  • Qualifying Income

    The income a lender actually uses to underwrite a loan after documentation and discounts.

  • Rate-and-Term Refinance

    Refinancing to change the interest rate or loan term without taking cash out.

  • Refinancing

    Refinancing is replacing your existing mortgage with a new loan, usually to get a lower interest rate, change the term, or tap home equity.

  • Replacement Reserve

    Money set aside on a schedule to replace furnishings and equipment that wear out.

  • Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)

    A required minimum distribution is the amount the IRS forces you to withdraw each year from most pre-tax retirement accounts, starting at age 73.

  • Reserves (Mortgage)

    Liquid funds a lender requires you to hold after closing, often measured in months of PITIA, to cover vacancies or rough patches.

  • Residual Income (VA)

    The discretionary cash left each month after the mortgage, other debts, taxes, and a maintenance and utility estimate.

  • Residual Value

    Residual value is a car's projected worth at the end of a lease, set by the leasing company as a percentage of the sticker price.

  • Revenue Per Available Night (RevPAN)

    RevPAN is total short-term rental revenue divided by the number of nights the property was available to book.

  • Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)

    RevPAR is average daily rate multiplied by occupancy rate, the hospitality industry's standard yield metric.

  • Roth Account

    A Roth account, such as a Roth IRA or Roth 401(k), is funded with after-tax money.

  • Safe Withdrawal Rate (4% Rule)

    A safe withdrawal rate is the percentage of a retirement portfolio you can withdraw in the first year, then adjust for inflation, with low risk of running out.

  • Seasonality

    The predictable swings in short-term rental demand across the year that move occupancy, nightly rate, and revenue.

  • Seasoning Period

    A seasoning period is the time a borrower must hold title, or a loan must age, before a lender allows a transaction such as a cash-out refinance.

  • Second-Home Loan

    A mortgage for a property you personally use part of the year.

  • Section 121 Exclusion

    The Section 121 exclusion shields up to 250,000 dollars of home-sale gain, or 500,000 dollars for a couple filing jointly.

  • Self-Employment Tax

    Self-employment tax is the 15.3 percent Social Security and Medicare tax the self-employed pay on 92.35 percent of net profit.

  • Seller Concessions

    Seller concessions are costs a seller agrees to cover on the buyer's behalf, most often a credit toward the buyer's closing costs or a repair allowance.

  • Severance Pay

    Pay an employer chooses to provide at separation, commonly quoted in weeks of pay and sometimes scaled by years of service.

  • Short-Term Rental (STR)

    A furnished residential property rented to guests for short stays, often under 28 to 31 nights, typically through platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo.

  • Social Security Tax (OASDI)

    Social Security tax, also called OASDI, is the 6.2 percent payroll tax employees pay on wages up to an annual wage base, matched by the employer.

  • Social Security Wage Base

    The Social Security wage base is the maximum annual earnings subject to the 6.2 percent Social Security tax.

  • Special Assessment

    A one-time charge an HOA or local government levies for a major repair or improvement, on top of regular HOA dues.

  • Standard Deduction

    The standard deduction is a flat amount subtracted from your income before tax brackets apply, so only income above it is taxed.

  • Startup Cost

    The total upfront cash to launch a short-term rental: furnishing, setup, compliance, professional services, and initial supplies.

  • STR Permit

    A local license required to legally operate a short-term rental.

  • Supplemental Wages

    Supplemental wages are pay outside the regular paycheck, such as bonuses, commissions, severance, and overtime premiums.

  • Take-Home Pay

    Take-home pay is what remains of your salary after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, state tax, and pre-tax deductions are withheld.

  • Tax Loss Harvesting

    Tax loss harvesting realizes an investment loss on purpose so it can offset taxable gains and up to $3,000 of ordinary income a year.

  • Tax Safe Harbor

    The estimated-tax safe harbor is the prepayment level that shields you from underpayment penalties.

  • Tax Withholding

    Tax withholding is the federal income tax your employer takes out of each paycheck and sends to the IRS on your behalf, based on your W-4.

  • Term Life Insurance

    Term life insurance covers a fixed period, commonly 10 to 30 years, paying the death benefit only if the insured dies during the term.

  • The 1% Rule

    The 1 percent rule is a quick rental screen that says a property's monthly rent should be at least 1 percent of its purchase price.

  • The 20/4/10 Rule

    The 20/4/10 rule is a car-buying guideline: put at least 20 percent down, finance for no more than 4 years, and keep total transportation costs at or below 10 percent of gross income.

  • The 28/36 Rule

    The 28/36 rule is a lending guideline that says you should spend no more than 28 percent of gross monthly income on housing and no more than 36 percent on total debt.

  • The 50/30/20 Rule

    The 50/30/20 rule is a budgeting guideline that splits your take-home pay into 50 percent for needs, 30 percent for wants, and 20 percent for savings and debt paydown.

  • Title Insurance

    Title insurance protects against losses from defects in a property's title, such as undisclosed liens, errors in public records, or competing ownership claims.

  • Transfer Tax

    A transfer tax is a government charge to record the transfer of a property's title at sale, usually a percent of the sale price.

  • Tuition Inflation

    Tuition inflation is the yearly rate at which college costs rise, historically faster than general inflation.

  • Unemployment Insurance

    A joint federal-state program paying a temporary weekly benefit after a qualifying job loss.

  • Uniform Lifetime Table

    The Uniform Lifetime Table is the IRS table retirees use to compute required minimum distributions: the year-end balance divided by the factor for your age.

  • Upfront Mortgage Insurance Premium (UFMIP)

    UFMIP is the one-time upfront mortgage insurance premium on an FHA loan, equal to 1.75 percent of the base loan amount.

  • VA Funding Fee

    A one-time fee on most VA loans, charged as a percent of the loan and paid to the VA.

  • Vacancy Rate

    Vacancy rate is the share of the year a rental sits empty and earns no rent, often estimated at 5 to 10 percent for long-term rentals.

  • Vesting

    Vesting is the process by which employer contributions to your retirement account become fully yours to keep.

  • Wash-Sale Rule

    The wash-sale rule (IRC 1091) disallows a capital loss when you buy the same or a substantially identical security within 30 days before or after the loss sale.

Changelog

A dated record of substantive updates: new calculators, new playbooks, methodology changes, and corrections, newest first, at /changelog/ .

How the math works

All formulas live in one shared engine and are defined once, so the same calculation is used everywhere and cannot drift between pages. Each calculator states its assumptions, ships golden-value tests that check it against known-correct results to the cent, and shows its formula and a worked example on the page. The full approach is documented on the methodology page. The point is that a result here is not a black box: you can cite a source that shows the formula, not just a number.

How to cite and link

The canonical URL for a calculator is https://finexplained.com/calculators/{slug}. Link to that page when referencing a calculator.

To link to a specific set of inputs, use the share link a calculator generates. It encodes the inputs into a versioned ?c= parameter on the same canonical URL. The parameter carries a short fingerprint derived from each input's name and kind, so a link keeps working even if a default value later changes, and is detected as out of date only if the calculator's actual fields change. That means a shared result stays faithful to what was computed when the link was made.

Machine-readable index

A concise, link-first summary of the site is published at /llms.txt. It lists every calculator with a one-line description and an absolute URL, generated from the same registry that drives this page.

Trust and provenance

Why the numbers can be trusted, and how to check them. These pages document the sourcing, testing, and correction process behind the site.

Results are estimates for education, not financial advice. See our disclaimer.