Help — Charting Finance

A section-by-section guide to using the Charting Finance simulator. Click the ? icon in any section header to jump directly to its help entry.

🕐

Your Timeline

The Timeline is the control center for your financial plan. It shows your life phases on a proportional bar, lets you navigate to any date, and manages the scenarios that hold your portfolio data.

Elements

Phase Dots & Timeline Bar

Colored dots on a proportional bar represent your life event phases (e.g. Accumulate and Retire). Click a dot to jump the cursor to that phase's start date. Click anywhere on the bar to navigate to that point in time.

"You are Here" Indicator

A colored badge on the timeline showing your currently selected date. Its color matches the phase you're viewing. Moving the date selector or clicking a phase dot updates its position.

Year / Month Selectors

Dropdown controls to navigate to any specific year and month within your simulation range. The selector styling reflects the current phase color. Changing the date updates all charts and the portfolio view.

Phase Summary Bar

Below the timeline, a summary shows the selected phase's name, age range, and key metrics (opening value, closing value, CAGR). Click a different phase dot to switch the summary.

Scenario Selector

A dropdown at the bottom of the timeline card. Each scenario holds a complete portfolio — assets, fund transfers, and guardrail settings. Switch between scenarios to compare strategies.

⚡ AI Summary & + New Scenario

Floating buttons at the bottom corners. The ⚡ generates a markdown summary of your timeline and phases. The + creates a new scenario (blank or copied from the current one).

How To

Set up your life phases

1 Set your Current Age, Retirement Age, and Finish Age in the Settings Row at the top of the page. The timeline automatically creates Accumulate and Retire phases from these ages.

2 Click a phase dot on the timeline to select that phase. The summary bar updates to show the phase's details and the cursor jumps to that phase's start date.

3 Open an asset's fund transfer modal (via the portfolio sidebar). The transfers shown are specific to the currently selected phase — configure different allocations for Accumulate vs. Retire.

Navigate to a specific date

1 Use the Year and Month dropdowns to pick a date. All charts, the portfolio sidebar, and the viewing badge update to reflect that month's data.

2 Alternatively, click directly on the timeline bar at the approximate position you want. The cursor snaps to the nearest date.

3 If the date falls in a different phase, the phase selection and all phase-colored UI elements automatically update to match.

Create and manage scenarios

1 Click the + button to create a new scenario. Choose whether to start blank or copy the current scenario's data.

2 Use the scenario dropdown to switch between scenarios. Each scenario is fully independent — assets, life events, fund transfers, and guardrail parameters are all scenario-specific.

3 Click the ✏️ pencil icon to rename a scenario or edit its description. Click the 🗑️ trash icon to delete a scenario (only visible for non-default scenarios).

Quick Start

1 If you have no assets yet, look for the Quick Start button in the portfolio sidebar. It loads a pre-built example portfolio with salary, retirement accounts, a home, expenses, and realistic fund transfers for both phases.

2 Quick Start data adapts to your Current Age and Retirement Age settings — all asset dates, life event triggers, and fund transfer routing are computed dynamically.

💼

Your Portfolio

The Portfolio sidebar is where you create, inspect, and manage every asset in your financial plan. Assets are grouped by type and displayed alongside a stacked bar chart showing the composition of your portfolio at the currently selected date.

Elements

Asset List

A scrollable list of every asset in the active scenario, grouped by category (Income, Retirement Accounts, Taxable Accounts, Real Estate, Expenses, Debt). Each row shows the asset's emoji, name, and current value at the selected date.

Assets / Properties Toggle

Switch between the Assets view (grouped list with values) and the Properties view (detailed configuration for the selected asset including asset type, dates, return rates, and fund transfers).

Viewing Badge

Shows the currently selected month and year. All values displayed in the portfolio reflect the simulation state at this date. Changes when you navigate the timeline.

Grouped Bar Charts

Each asset group header includes a small stacked bar chart showing the relative value of assets within that group. Hover to see individual asset values.

Fund Transfer Modal

Accessed by clicking an asset row. Configure percentage-based monthly transfers from this asset to other assets. Transfers are phase-specific — Accumulate and Retire phases have independent transfer configurations.

⚡ AI Summary & + Add Asset

The ⚡ generates a markdown summary of your portfolio composition. The + button opens the asset creation dialog where you choose an asset type and configure the new asset.

How To

Add an asset

1 Click the + button at the bottom-right of the portfolio card.

2 Select an asset type (e.g., Monthly Salary, Taxable Equity, Mortgage). The asset type determines the asset's behavior in the simulation — how it grows, how it's taxed, and what transfers are valid.

3 Fill in the display name, start/end dates, starting value, and annual return rate. Click Save to add the asset to your portfolio.

Configure fund transfers

1 Click an asset row to open its fund transfer modal. Transfers shown are specific to the currently selected life event phase (Accumulate or Retire).

2 Set a percentage (0–100%) for each destination asset. For example, route 15% of your salary to a 401K and 10% to a brokerage account during Accumulate.

3 Switch to the Retire phase on the timeline and configure different transfers — e.g., draw from retirement accounts to cover expenses.

Edit or delete an asset

1 Switch to the Properties view using the toggle at the top of the sidebar.

2 Click the asset you want to modify. Edit its fields directly — changes are applied when you click away or press Save.

3 To delete an asset, click the trash icon on the asset row. This permanently removes the asset and all its fund transfers from the current scenario.

📊

Projections

The Projections section displays two side-by-side charts that visualize your portfolio's trajectory over the full simulation period. The Macro chart shows the big picture; the Micro chart shows the detail for the currently selected date.

Elements

Macro Projection Chart

A stacked area chart showing every asset's value over the full simulation timeline. Color-coded by asset. Use the metric selector dropdown to switch between Value, Growth, Income, Expenses, and other metrics.

Micro Projection Chart

A detailed bar/pie chart showing the composition of your portfolio at the currently selected month. Updates in real time as you navigate the timeline.

Metric Selector

A dropdown on the Macro chart that lets you switch the displayed metric. Options include Value (net worth over time), Growth (appreciation), Income, Expenses, and more.

Phase Date Markers

Vertical dashed lines on the Macro chart marking the boundaries between life event phases (e.g., the transition from Accumulate to Retire). Helps you see how your portfolio behaves across phases.

How To

Analyze your portfolio trajectory

1 Review the Macro Projection chart for the overall shape of your plan — steady growth during accumulation, drawdown during retirement.

2 Use the metric selector to switch views. "Value" shows net worth; "Growth" isolates appreciation; "Income" and "Expenses" show cash flow.

3 Click on the timeline or use the date selectors to move the cursor. The Micro chart updates to show a snapshot of that specific month's portfolio composition.

🎲

Simulations

The Simulations section contains two tools for stress-testing your financial plan: Monte Carlo simulation for probability analysis, and Guardrails for dynamic withdrawal strategy testing.

Elements

Monte Carlo Chart

Runs hundreds of randomized simulations using historical return distributions. Displays percentile bands (10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th) showing the range of possible outcomes for your portfolio.

With Guardrails Checkbox

When checked, Monte Carlo simulations apply your guardrail parameters (withdrawal rate, preservation, prosperity, adjustment) to each trial. When unchecked, simulations use your raw fund transfer percentages without dynamic adjustments.

Guardrails Chart

Visualizes the guardrail withdrawal strategy applied to your portfolio. Shows how dynamic spending adjustments respond to market conditions — cutting withdrawals in down markets and increasing them in up markets.

Guardrail Parameters

Four configurable inputs: Target Rate (base withdrawal %), Preservation (floor trigger %), Prosperity (ceiling trigger %), and Adjustment (how much to cut or raise spending %). A reset button restores defaults.

How To

Run a Monte Carlo simulation

1 Click Run in the Monte Carlo panel. The simulator runs hundreds of trials with randomized returns drawn from historical distributions.

2 Review the percentile fan chart. The median (50th percentile) shows the expected outcome; the 10th percentile shows a stress-test floor.

3 Check With Guardrails and re-run to see how dynamic withdrawal adjustments affect the range of outcomes.

Configure and run Guardrails

1 Set the Target Rate (e.g., 4%) — this is your baseline annual withdrawal percentage from the portfolio during retirement.

2 Set Preservation and Prosperity thresholds. If the portfolio drops below the preservation threshold, spending is reduced. If it rises above prosperity, spending can increase.

3 Set the Adjustment percentage — how much spending changes when a guardrail is triggered (e.g., 10% means cut or raise by 10%).

4 Click Run to see the guardrail strategy applied to a single deterministic simulation. The chart shows spending adjustments over time.

📋

Details

The Details section provides two complementary views into the financial transactions that make up your simulation: Credit Memos for individual transaction records, and Reports for aggregated summaries.

Elements

Credit Memos

A scrollable ledger of every financial transaction at the selected date — income receipts, fund transfers, expense debits, tax withholdings, asset appreciation, and more. Each memo shows the source, destination, amount, and transaction type.

Reports

Aggregated financial summaries for the selected date. Includes income statements, balance sheets, tax summaries, and cash flow analysis. Reports condense hundreds of credit memos into actionable financial statements.

⚡ AI Summaries

Both Credit Memos and Reports have their own AI Summary buttons. Click ⚡ to generate a natural-language explanation of the transactions or financial statements for the current period.

Date-Sensitive Display

Both panels update automatically when you navigate the timeline. Moving to a different month shows that month's specific transactions and reports, letting you inspect any point in your financial plan.

How To

Inspect a specific month's finances

1 Navigate to the month you want to inspect using the timeline or date selectors.

2 Scroll through Credit Memos to see every individual transaction — useful for verifying fund transfer routing, tax withholding, and expense payments.

3 Check Reports for the big picture — total income, total expenses, net cash flow, and account balances as of that month.

📊

Spreadsheet

The Spreadsheet provides a tabular view of your entire simulation — every asset, every month, in a familiar grid format. Ideal for detailed analysis, comparison, and data export.

Elements

Data Grid

A scrollable table with rows for each month and columns for each asset. Cell values show the asset's balance at that point in time. The grid covers the entire simulation from start to finish.

Copy & Download

Two action buttons in the section header: Copy (📋) copies the spreadsheet data to your clipboard for pasting into Excel or Google Sheets. Download (⬇️) exports the data as a CSV file.

How To

Export your data

1 Scroll through the spreadsheet to review monthly values for each asset across the full simulation period.

2 Click the Copy button to copy the entire table to your clipboard. Paste into Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet application for further analysis.

3 Click the Download button to save the data as a .csv file. This preserves all values and can be opened in any spreadsheet tool.

🚰

Visualizer

The Visualizer renders a hydraulic-style flow diagram of your portfolio at the selected date. Money flows like water from income sources through accounts to expenses, giving you an intuitive picture of where your money goes each month.

Elements

Flow Diagram

A dark-themed canvas showing income sources on the left, accounts in the middle, and expenses on the right. Animated flows represent fund transfers — thicker flows mean larger transfers. The layout updates based on the selected date.

Date Display

Shows which month the visualizer is rendering. The flow diagram reflects the fund transfers, income, and expenses active in that specific month of your simulation.

How To

Visualize your money flow

1 Navigate the timeline to the month you want to visualize.

2 Click Run in the Visualizer section. The hydraulic diagram renders showing all active income, accounts, expenses, and the fund transfer flows between them.

3 Compare Accumulate vs. Retire phases by running the visualizer at dates in each phase — you'll see how money routing changes (e.g., salary contributions during accumulation vs. retirement account withdrawals).

🔮

Maximizer

The Maximizer uses a genetic algorithm to find optimal fund transfer allocations and guardrail parameters for your portfolio. It evolves hundreds of candidate solutions over 200 generations, balancing your preference between maximizing spending and maximizing terminal value.

Elements

Spending ↔ Terminal Value Selector

A row of discrete notches (0–100% in 5% steps) controlling the fitness objective. Left favors maximizing cash flow and spending; right favors maximizing end-of-plan portfolio value. Click any notch to set the balance.

Evolution Chart

A live-updating stacked area chart showing the fittest portfolio found so far. Updates every time the genetic algorithm discovers a better solution. Renders the full simulation timeline with phase markers.

Generation Counter

Displays progress through the 200-generation run (e.g., "Generation 45 / 200"). Located below the chart alongside the status indicator and best value.

Best Value

Shows the terminal portfolio value of the current fittest solution. Updates in real time as the algorithm finds better candidates.

Recommendations Button

Appears after a run completes. Opens a popup showing the optimized fund transfer percentages, guardrail parameters, and a comparison to your current settings — actionable instructions you can apply manually.

Real-World Constraints

The optimizer respects real-world rules: mortgages and real estate are immutable, expenses are partially adjustable, retirement contributions are capped (25% accumulation, 10% retirement), and negative balances incur fitness penalties.

How To

Run the Maximizer

1 Set the Spending ↔ Terminal Value balance. All the way right means "maximize my ending portfolio value." All the way left means "maximize my spending/cash flow." A middle notch balances both.

2 Click Run. The genetic algorithm launches in a Web Worker (your browser stays responsive). Watch the chart update as better solutions are discovered over 200 generations.

3 When "Complete" appears, click Recommendations to see the optimized fund transfer allocations and guardrail settings. The popup shows what to change in your portfolio to approach the optimized result.

4 Adjust the Spending/Terminal Value selector and click Run again to explore different optimization targets. Each run is independent.

Apply recommendations

1 Open the Recommendations popup after a completed run. Review the suggested fund transfer changes for each phase (Accumulate and Retire).

2 Navigate to your Portfolio, select an asset, and open its fund transfer modal. Manually adjust the percentages to match the recommendations.

3 Update the Guardrail parameters in the Simulations section if the Maximizer suggests different withdrawal rate, preservation, prosperity, or adjustment values.