In various posts I have referenced financial calculators that I like. I’m going to put them all in one post so they are easy to find for reference. As I find more, I’ll add them to this list:
Retirement
- Firecalc can help you determine if you are ready for retirement and if your money will last.
- Generation X Retirement Calculator details year by year savings for retirement planning.
- Used in Early Retirement: How much money will you need?
- Roth 401k versus 401k: Determine which option is better.
- Used in 2008 Roth 401k For Me!
College Savings
- College savings calculator.
- Used in How to open a 529 college savings plan for your children.
Investing
- Compare Vanguard ETF versus mutual funds for various amounts.
- Used in Investment in Vanguard ETF for Roth IRA.
Life Insurance
- Life Insurance calculator.
- Savings distribution calculator.
- Used in How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
Taxes
Stay at Home
- Calculator to stay at home.
- Can you afford to quit?
- Second income calculator.
- Used in Should I Stay Home or Go Back to Work?
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I am so, so, SO against the Dinkytown 401(k) calculator that I feel sick when I think about it. It makes the awful assumption that you’d put tax savings from the traditional 401(k) into a taxable account, which is not how smart people (the people who are thinking about Roth versus traditional 401(k)s rather than just picking one via coin flip) invest for retirement!
I haven’t looked at other Dinkytown calculators, but I’ve heard good things from friends. My complaint is very specific and probably nit-picky, but it makes a huge difference in the results.
Rant over!
LilyJanuary 3rd, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Oh and I thought you were going to sing the praises of the HP12C ;P … well, firecalc is pretty sweet. The only thing that concerns me is that the past century of US growth might not be representative of the next century.
Early Retirement ExtremeJanuary 3rd, 2008 at 8:44 pm
@ Lily: Glad you got that out! I hear you on the calculators. Unfortunately I think for the majority of people they don’t understand the inputs completely. For the most part I like the Dinkytown calculators.
@ ERE: I love the HP12C. Everything but the color, that is.
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:33 am