• If you do not specify a group or a goal, then other and core are used (respectively).
• For value, you can use xxK for thousand. Thus, 5000 is the same as 5k (the k is case insensitive)
  • The value should be the cost if this expense was incurred today. This cost will rise at the specified rate of inflation, starting from today!
  • The value should be the cost during retirement. For example, if your kids will have moved out when you retire, but are living with you now, then a food expense should not include what you may be spending to feed your kids!
• Frequency values can be Y,Q, M, B, or W (yearly, quarterly, monthly, bi-weekly, or weekly).
  If you are using the add form, use one of the several radio buttons to choose a frequency.
  Note that retPlan only stores yearly expenses -- so the frequency variable is just used to simplify data entry (so you don't have to do multiplication in your head!).
• inflation mult is a multiplier used for this expense. I.e.; 1.0 means use the overall inflation rate; 1.4 means inflation is 40% higher than over all (so a 2% overall inflation means 2.8% inflation for this expense).
• If taxDeduct is 1, this is a tax deductible expense (such as a charitable contribution).
  If you are using the add form, check the is this tax deductible... button.
• If you do not specify a Year Start or a Year End, then 0 and 100 are used (respectively).
  A value of 0 for Year Start means you incur the specified expense in the first year of retirement. Thus, Year start of 1 would mean you don't have the expense for a year; and Year end of 4 means the expense lasts until 4 years after the start of retirement.

  Alternatively, to specify an absolute age (to start and end), enter -age. For example, Year Start=-65 and Year End=-75 means the expense occurs between the ages of 65 and 75 (inclusive).

  If you are using the add form, you can click on the check to enter ages .. checkbox -- this toggles between specifying ages (such as 65 to 100) or years (such as 3 years after retirement to 20 years after)

• You can include commas in the description (that's why it is the last item on the csv entry forms)
• The subname is optional
• On csv entry forms: empty lines, or lines whose first (non-space) character is a ;, are ignored

Hints:

• You must specify a name. The subname is optional.
  The name and subName must be one word (no embedded spaces), and can only contain digits, letters, and the underscore
• ageRetire is required. It identifies an age of retirement.
  Each retirement income stream is specified using an income set.
  An income set consists of one or more entries with the exact same name and subname, but with different values of ageRetire. The income stream actually used (for an income set) will be computed using the actual retirement age. In other words, only one value from an income set is actually used.
  Some details …
  • Entries of an income set can be in any order (they will be sorted by ageRetire)
  • Actual income (from this income set) will be 0 if you retire before the first ageRetire
  • For retirement ages after the last ageRetire, income will be the value of the last entry in the income set
    If an income set contains one entry, then income will be 0 if you retire before ageRetire, and constant if you retire at (or after) ageRetire
  • Linear interpolation is used if necessary. Example:
    For ageRetire=62, income= $32,000
    For ageRetire=65, income= $35,000
    Then, if the retirement age is 64, income would be $34,000
  • If an income set contains just one entry that has ageRetire equal 0 -- you get this income regardless of when you retire.
  Note: on the add page, fill in the at this retirement age ... text box
• If you do not specify a group or a goal, then other and core are used (respectively).
• Years Start and Year End limit the years (after retirement) you recieve this income stream.
  To not limit these years (that is, to recieve the income from retirement until death)>, set Years Start=0 and Year End=100
  If you do not specify a Years Start or a Years End, then 0 and 100 are used (respectively).
  A value of 0 for Year Start means you earn the specified income in the first year of retirement.
  Example: Years Start=1 and Year End=4: you recieve this income in the first,second, third, and fourth year after retirement.
• Values should be yearly income: before income taxes, but after unavoidable (and non-refundable) deductions (such as FICA taxes).
  You can use xxK for thousand. Thus, 32000 is the same as 32k (the k is case insensitive)
  Values should be year income.
  Shortcuts:

  • On the bulk entry forms: to specify a monthly, bi-weekly, or weekly income (and have it converted to yearly income), enter:
    M=xxx, B=xxx or W=xxx (respectively). And you can use the xxxK trick (i.e.; B=0.5K)
  • add entry form: you can enter a yearly income, or a monthly income. Other choices are not available.
• The fraction taxable is what fraction of this income stream is subject to taxation, and should be a value between 0.0 and 1.0. 0.0 means this income stream is not subject to taxation; while 1.0 (the default) means it is all subject to taxation.
  Social security example: if your pension income is 80k, and your SS payments are 20k, use 0.85 …
• the COLA Adjustment is the ratio of cost of living adjustments (COLA) to inflation (the overall inflation value specified on the General page). If not specifed, a value of 1.0 is used.
  Notes:
  • 1.0 means income stream keeps up with inflation, and 0 means no-inflation adjustment (same dollar amount every year). Values less than 1.0 means COLAs do not keep up with inflation.
  • The COLA adjustment modifier rate general parameter can be used to modify all of the (entry specific) COLA Adjust parameters.
    For example: setting COLA adjustment modifier rate to be less than 1.0 simulates all income streams do not live up to their promised inflation rate matching

Hints:

• If you do not specify a group or a goal, then other and core are used (respectively).
• The value of the investment is today's value (i.e.; what it would cost to purchase today).
  today's value should be used for investments you currently own.
  Today's value should also be used for future investments (when ageStart is greater than your current age) -- that is, what it would cost to obtain this investment today.

  The actual (nominal) cost of a future investment will be based on its current value, the inflation rate, and its appreciation rate.
  For consumption goods (or other goods with no resale value), enter 0
• The investment occurs when you are ageStart years old.
  Leaving ageStart blank, or entering a 0 means this investment will occur as soon as you retire.
  Entering a 1 means this is a currently active investment (for example, a house with a partially paid off mortgage).
  
  Special case:. -xx (values less than or equal to 0) means the investment occurs xx years after retirement.
  If you are using the add form, you can click on the years after retirements .. checkboxes -- this toggles between specifying ages (such as 65) or years (such as 3 years after retirement)
• The investment ends (is sold for its appreciated value, minus any remaining principal) when you are ageEnd years old.
  Leaving ageEnd blank, or entering a 0 means this a investment will never be sold.
  Entering a 1 means you will sell this immediately upon obtaining it. This is used for windfalls, or for loans for cash.
  Note that the proceeds from a sold investment are treated as a negative investment expense. If the sales value is high enough, excess value (money left even after paying all other regular and investment related expenses) are treated as a one-time addition to your assets (with deposits based on their priority parameters). Conversely, if the investment is under water (more principal is owed than its appreciated value), the loss is treated as a one-time investment expense (which may necessitate withdrawals from non-tax deferred assets)
  
  Notes:
  The end age and begin age are both at the beginning of the year.
  If they are the same year, the investment is sold as soon as it is acquired (this is the same as ageEnd=1).
  For a 1 year investment, the end age should be 1 greater than the begin age
  Special case:. as with ageStart: -xx (values less than 0) mean investment occurs xx years after retirement.
  If you are using the add form, you can click on the years after retirements .. checkboxes -- this toggles between specifying ages (such as 65) or years (such as 3 years after retirement)
• The Down Payment is the nominal dollars (no inflation adjusment) paid the year the investment occurs. For currently owned investments, this should be 0.
  For one-time payments (such as one-time expenses), use the Down Payment to enter the amount (and set loan amount to 0)
  • Shortcut: xx% (0<xx<=100) are interpreted as xx percent of value, at the time of investment.
  • Thus, for future investments (whose value increases due to appreciation and inflation), the nominal amount (the actual $ expenditure) of the down payment will also grow.
  • Note that future down payments (or one-shot expenses) are drawn from savings and other non-IRA assets -- using the priority parameters to allocate where withdrawals are from.
• The loan amount should be 0 if no loan is required (say, if a one-time payment is used, or if you already own the investment)
  • Shortcut: xx%0<xx<=100) is interpreted as xx percent of value, at the time of investment
  • Thus, for future investments (whose value increases due to appreciation and inflation), the nominal amount (the actual $ expenditure) of the loan amount will also grow.
• For Down Payment,Loan Amount, and Value: you can use xxK for thousand. Thus, 45000 is the same as 45k (the k is case insensitive)
• Loan payments are automatically computed -- given the Loan Amount, the Interest Rate, and term (the length of the loan). These payments are automatically divided into interest payments, and principal payments
• Interest Rate and the (real) Appreciation rate should be entered as a whole numbers. Examples ...
  3 means 3.0% increase per year.
  -5.0 means 5.0% decrease per year (i.e.; a depreciating asset) .
  Note that actual (nominal dollar) change in value is (roughly) the sum of inflation and appreciation.
• Example: an investment that requires a one time payment (i.e.; not a loan), and
  • value = 100k
  • appreciation= 5 (5% increase per year), and inflation=0.
  • Then after 3 years the value of the asset = 100k * 1.05 ^ 3 = $115,673
• If interest payments are tax deductible (i.e.; a primary or vacation home), canDeduct should be 1.
  Otherwise (i.e.; if no value specified) interest payments are not tax deductible.
  If you are using the add form, can click on the check if this is tax deductible checkbox
• You can include commas in the description (that's why it is the last item on the csv entry forms)
• The subname is optional
• On csv entry forms: empty lines, or lines whose first (non-space) character is a ;, are ignored
• For further details (such as how cost of future purchases of appreciating, or depreciating investments); click on ? buttons at the bottom bottom of the in the add form

1. The interest rate adjustment -- which must be a percentile value between 0.0 and 100.0,
2. is converted into a weight (based on a normal cdf)
3. The interest rate used (for an asset) is set to: average + (weight * SD)

Hints:

• If you do not specify a group or a goal, then other and core are used (respectively).
• For value and additions, you can use xxK for thousand. Thus, 5000 is the same as 5k (the k is case insensitive)
• value is the current value.
  addditions are the per-year additions until retirement.
  The assumption is that upon retirement, these additions will no longer be made.
• avgInt (average interest rate over time) and sdInt (standard deviation of interest rate over time) should be entered using whole numbers. For example: 3.1 means 3.1% interest rate
  The Interest rate adjustment (on the General page) is used to globally adjust all interest rates, using each rate's sdInt
  On the add page, the above are entered using the average value and standard deviation text boxes.
• If this is a tax deferred (i.e.; an IRA or a 401k), taxDefer shoulde be 1.
  Otherwise (i.e.; if no value specified) this is not a tax deferred asset.
  On the add page, the above is specified using the Is this tax deferred .. checkbox,
• interestTaxable should be between 0.0 and 1.0. If some of the interest earnings from this are tax exempt (i.e.; earnings from a government bonds mutual fund), enter a a value less than 1.0.
  For example, a simple savings account should have a value of 1.0 (its interest earnings are all taxable), while a municipal bonds fun should be close to 0.0 (since interest earnings are exempt from federal and most state income taxes).

  Note: this refers to interest earnings, not withdrawals. Therefore, all distributions from a tax deferred asset (i.e.; automatic payments from a 401k) are subject to full income tax, even if a large fraction of them are due to interest earnings (on contributions made early on). This is a limitation of retPlan (that could be fixed, but at the cost of even more complexity!)

  On the add page, the above are entered using the Fraction of interest earnings subject to income tax ... text boxes.
• The nominal/real should be a 0 or 1.
  0 means the interest rated is used as is -- thus, the value is interpreted as a nominal interest rate
  1 means the inflation rate is added to the interest rate -- thus, the value is interpreted as a real interest rate
  On the add page, the above is specified using the Real interest rate .. checkbox,
• The priority should be a value between 0.0 and 1.0. It is used to prioritize what non-tax deferred asset should be used first.
  priority is used to determine how cash should be withdrawn from assets in years with a shortfall -- in years where your total costs (living expenses + investment expenses) exceed your total earnings (income + tax deferred asset distributions + sales of investments).
  Or, how cash should be saved when you have a excess (when earnings exceed costs)!
  0.0 means do not use this, unless you have to. That is, empty all other assets (with priority > 0.0) first, and then (if you must) start withdrawing from this asset. If you have excesses -- don't put anything into this. In other words, this is only touched in an emergency.
  1.0 means deplete this asset first. That is, empty it before touching any asset with a value < 1.0. If you have excesses -- don't put anything into this. In other words, this is used up and then abandoned.
  0.5 is the default -- if everything has a value of 0.5, then cash is withdrawn (or added) to this asset as a function of its relative size.
  Otherwise, assets with higher (closer to 1.0) priorities are withdrawn from faster (and added to slower than) assets with smaller (closer to 0.0)priorities
  Example: assume you have a $10,000 shortfall in a given year, and 3 non-tax deferred assets. Where should the money to cover this come from?

  Asset value	Priority	Money withdrawn	comment
  5,000	0.8	$1538	A checking account -- use it first (but try not to empty it)
  20,000	0.5	$3846	A savings account -- use it in a normal fashion
  30,000	0.4	$4616	Your largest account is in a well performing mutual fund -- try to keep it growing
  Technical note:		the following function is used (for assets with 0.0<priority<1.0) withdrawal= shortfall * (value * priority)/ sum{value * priority} In the above examples, the weights equal 0.16, 0.38 and 0.46.

  Priority is not used with tax deferred assets! Distributions from tax deferred assets are not effected by shortfalls (or excesses) in your yearly accounts. They are only effected by the distribution variables set on the General page.
• You can include commas in the description (that's why it is the last item on the csv entry forms)
• The subname is optional
• On csv entry forms: empty lines, or lines whose first (non-space) character is a ;, are ignored

• You must specify a one-word name.
• The variant is optional. Variants, if entered, must be an integer between 1 and 20.
  Variants are used to create a set of goals -- goals that have the same name!
  When you include a goal, you can only include one from a set. That is: only one variant from a set may be included.
  Using variants makes it easy to choose between somewhat different versions of the same expense (or income or asset or investment).
  Instead of using variants, you could modify an entry (i.e.; change the age end on an investment entry). Specifying multiple variants of a goal, and then choosing which of these variants to include as a goal, should be quicker (though it does mean a bit more time creating entries).
• When active, a goal can have one of two actions.
  1 (retain). These are good things -- entries with a retain goal are things you want to do (i.e.; expenses for things you like).
  0 (drop). These are good things -- entries with a drop goal are things you do not want to do (i.e.; work a part time job for several years).
  On tbe add form, use the radio buttons to choose between retain and drop.
• You can include commas in the description (that's why it is the last item on the csv entry forms)
• On csv entry forms: empty lines, or lines whose first (non-space) character is a ;, are ignored

1. One retirement age. Select one (or more) of the measures, just one of the RetAge checkboxes, and do not check the Δ checkbox.
      A year-by-year trend, for each of the selected measures: given the selected retirement age.
   Thus, if you select all 6 measures, 6 lines (or bar charts) will be displayed
2. Several retirement ages. Select just one measure, two or three of the RetAge checkboxes, and do not check the Δ checkbox.
      A year-by-year trend, for just the selected measure, for each of the selected retirement ages.
   Thus, if you select 3 retirement ages, 3 lines (or bar charts) will be displayed
3. Differences across retirement Ages. Select one (or more) measues, exactly two of the RetAge checkboxes, and do check the Δ checkbox.
      A year-by-year trend of the differences for each measure. The differences are value of larger retirement age - value for smaller retirement age.
   Thus, if you select all 6 measures, 6 lines (or bar charts) will be displayed

• ← : 1/2 width area on left
• → : 1/2 width area on right
• ␣ : full width area on bottom (initially hidden)