Tools

Investing tools for long-term clarity.

Find the right tool for where you are — growing your investments, building a portfolio, or planning financial independence.

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Calculators

Each one answers a single question and shows the working. The goal it belongs to is on the card.

GrowCompound Interest CalculatorUnderstand how time, contributions, returns, and inflation shape long-term wealth.What will this grow to?

GrowDollar Cost Averaging CalculatorCompare investing all at once with spreading the same amount over time.All at once, or spread out?

PortfolioPortfolio Allocation CalculatorSplit your money across assets and see your weighted return, concentration, and long-term growth after inflation.What does this asset mix return?

IndependenceFIRE CalculatorEstimate how much you need and when financial independence becomes possible.When can I stop working?

IndependenceRetirement CalculatorEstimate your retirement balance and income from savings, contributions, returns, and inflation.What income will my savings produce?

GrowDividend Reinvestment CalculatorProject how reinvested dividends can compound into a growing income stream.What do reinvested dividends become?

GrowDividend Income CalculatorSee how much you need invested to earn a target income in dividends — or the income a portfolio produces at a given yield.How much for $X a month in dividends?

PortfolioPortfolio Rebalancing CalculatorCompare your current mix against a target allocation and estimate what to buy or sell to rebalance.What do I buy or sell to rebalance?

IndependenceCoast FIRE CalculatorSee when your current investments could grow to support independence without adding more.Can I stop adding and still get there?

IndependenceSafe Withdrawal Rate CalculatorExplore how different withdrawal rates affect how long a portfolio could last.How much can I withdraw safely?

InflationInflation CalculatorTranslate future money into today's purchasing power and see what inflation quietly costs.What is this worth in today's money?

GrowTotal Return CalculatorSee your complete return from price gains plus income like dividends, and what it works out to per year.What did I actually earn, all in?

GrowSavings Goal CalculatorSet a target — $1 million or any other — and see the monthly contribution it would take to reach it.How much a month to hit my target?

GrowROI CalculatorWork out your return on investment from what you put in and got back, and what it works out to per year.What return did this produce?

GrowHow Much Can I Buy CalculatorSee how many shares, ETF units, or crypto your budget buys at any price — and how many fewer units a higher price costs.How much does my budget buy?

GrowBreak-Even CalculatorSee the gain you need to get back to even after a loss — and how averaging down lowers your average price and break-even.What do I need to get back to even?

Scenarios

One exact question per page, answered with a number under stated assumptions — each with the calculator loaded and ready to change.

How much do I need to invest monthly to reach $1 million in 20 years?To reach $1,000,000 in 20 years at a 7% return, you would invest about $1,970 a month under these assumptions — and less than half of the total comes from your own contributions. Solve it live for any target.

How much do I need to invest to reach $500,000 in 15 years?To reach $500,000 in 15 years at a 7% return, you would invest about $1,610 a month under these assumptions — with a shorter horizon, more of the goal comes from your own contributions. Solve it live.

What is $500 a month at 7% for 30 years?Investing $500 a month for 30 years at a 7% return grows to about $585,000 under these assumptions — roughly $180,000 contributed and $405,000 from compounding. Change the inputs in a live calculator.

What is $10,000 invested at 7% for 30 years?A one-time $10,000 investment at 7% for 30 years grows to about $76,000 under these assumptions — roughly 7.6× the original amount, with no further contributions. Adjust the inputs live.

What is the Coast FIRE number at age 30?At 30, with $40k of annual expenses and a 4% withdrawal rate, the Coast FIRE number is about $222,000 under a 7% return — lower than at 35 because compounding has five more years. Adjust the assumptions live.

What is the Coast FIRE number at age 35?At 35, with $40k of annual expenses and a 4% withdrawal rate, the Coast FIRE number is about $276,000 under a 7% return. See the assumptions and adjust them in a live calculator.

What is the Coast FIRE number at age 40?At 40, with $40k of annual expenses and a 4% withdrawal rate, the Coast FIRE number is about $342,000 under a 7% return. See why it is higher than at 30 or 35 and adjust the assumptions live.

How long will $1 million last in retirement?Withdrawing 4% a year (inflation-adjusted) from $1 million, at a 4.5% return and 2.5% inflation, the balance lasts about 34 years under these assumptions. Change the withdrawal rate and return in a live calculator.

How much do I need to retire on $50,000 a year?At a 4% withdrawal rate you'd need about $1.25 million to draw $50,000 a year, rising with inflation. See how a 3.5% or 5% rate changes the target in a live calculator.

How much can I safely withdraw from $500,000?At a 4% withdrawal rate, $500,000 provides about $20,000 a year (~$1,667 a month), rising with inflation and lasting ~34 years under these assumptions. Adjust the rate in a live calculator.

How much do I need invested to earn $1,000 a month in dividends?At a 4% dividend yield you'd need about $300,000 invested to earn $1,000 a month; about $400,000 at 3% and $240,000 at 5%. See the capital at any yield in a live calculator.

What will $100,000 be worth in 20 years with inflation?At 2.5% inflation, $100,000 keeps only about $61,000 of today's buying power after 20 years — a loss of roughly 39%. See the year-by-year erosion and change the inflation rate live.

Comparison guides

Neutral, side-by-side guides for the questions a single calculator can't settle on its own — each one embeds the tool that shows you your own case.

8 min readLump Sum vs Dollar-Cost Averaging: How They CompareInvesting a lump sum all at once versus spreading the same amount over time: the trade-offs, a worked example, and what the evidence shows.

7 min readROI vs CAGR: What's the Difference?ROI measures the total percentage gain; CAGR measures annualized growth. Why they differ, a worked example, and when each is the right lens.

6 min readTotal Return vs Price ReturnTotal return counts price change plus dividends reinvested; price return counts only price. How the two differ and when each is used.

7 min readCAGR vs Average Annual Return: Why They DifferAveraging yearly returns overstates real growth because of volatility drag. CAGR is the compounded rate that matches your ending balance.

6 min readReal Return vs Nominal ReturnNominal return is the raw percentage earned; real return subtracts inflation to show the change in purchasing power. With the Fisher equation.

7 min readDividend Yield vs Dividend GrowthDividend yield is the income a stock pays now; dividend growth is how fast that payment rises. The tradeoff, and how reinvestment changes it.

7 min readAsset Allocation vs DiversificationAsset allocation is how you split money across asset classes; diversification is how widely you spread risk within them. How the two work together.

8 min readPortfolio Allocation by Age: Rules of ThumbHow age-based rules of thumb — 60/40 and '100/110/120 minus age' — frame stock and bond splits. Explained as conventions, not recommendations.

7 min readIndex Fund vs ETF: What's the Difference?An index fund is a strategy that tracks an index; an ETF is a structure that trades like a stock. How they relate and where they genuinely differ.

7 min readSimple Interest vs Compound Interest: What's the Difference?Simple interest is calculated only on your original principal; compound interest is calculated on the principal plus the interest already earned, so it grows faster over time. A neutral, worked-example guide.

7 min read3.5% vs 4% Withdrawal Rate: How They CompareThe 4% rule and a more conservative 3.5% rate set how much you withdraw from a portfolio each year. See what a lower rate changes for income and resilience, under stated assumptions, with a neutral worked example.

7 min readFIRE vs Coast FIRE: What's the Difference?Full FIRE means enough invested to live off withdrawals now; Coast FIRE means enough invested that growth alone reaches your number by retirement age, so you only cover today's expenses. A neutral, worked-example guide.

7 min readCoast FIRE vs Barista FIRE: What's the Difference?Coast FIRE means your invested balance can grow to your retirement number on its own, so you only cover today's expenses. Barista FIRE means you semi-retire and cover part of your expenses with part-time income. A neutral, worked-example guide.

8 min readCAGR vs IRR (and XIRR): What's the Difference?CAGR assumes one lump sum growing at a smooth annual rate; IRR (and its spreadsheet form XIRR) accounts for money added and withdrawn at different times. A neutral, worked-example guide to which return measure fits which situation.

New here? A suggested path

Start with compounding, then explore portfolio allocation, financial independence, and investment timing.