Financial Future Planner helps you visualize your retirement path through interactive simulations. Create multiple scenarios, add contributions and withdrawals, and see how different choices affect your future.

Step 1: Create Your First Scenario

Scenarios let you test different financial strategies and compare them side-by-side. Each scenario is independent, so you can explore “what-if” questions without risk.

If you want a starting point before building your own, browse the scenario catalog. You can search by goal or place, then filter by country and category.

How to create:

• Click the "+ Add" button in the Scenarios panel
• Give it a meaningful name that matches the decision you are testing

Create a second scenario when you want to compare a different retirement age, savings rate, expense level, or return assumption.

Step 2: Set Financial Basics

In the Financial tab, configure your starting point and assumptions:

• Currency: Auto-detected from your browser locale (e.g., $ US Dollar, € Euro)
• Current Savings: How much you have saved today (e.g., $5,000)
• Real Interest Rate: Expected annual return above inflation (typical: 3–7%)
  • If you expect 7% returns with 2% inflation → enter 5%
  • We use monthly compounding with a 1-month investment lag for conservative estimates

Example: Starting savings $10,000, interest rate 5% (real return above inflation)

Step 3: Define Your Timeline

In the Timeline tab, set your life stages:

• Start Year: Usually the current year (e.g., 2026)
• Current Age: Your age today (e.g., 30)
• Retirement Age: When you plan to stop working (e.g., 65)
• Life Expectancy: Age for planning purposes (e.g., 90)
• Early Retirement Age (Optional): For phased retirement (e.g., 55)

Example: Age 30 → Retire at 65 → Plan through age 90 = 60 years of simulation

Step 4: Add Contributions

Contributions are money you add to your savings over time. In the Contributions tab, click "+ Add" to create entries.

Entry fields:

• Name: Descriptive label (e.g., “401k Contribution”)
• Amount: How much per occurrence (e.g., $1,200)
• Frequency: Monthly / Quarterly / Yearly / One-time
• Life Period: Auto-scope by retirement phase OR set custom start/end dates

Example contribution:

• Name: “Monthly Savings”
• Amount: $1,500
• Frequency: Monthly
• Life Period: Pre-retirement

Step 5: Add Withdrawals

Withdrawals are money you take from your savings. In the Withdrawals tab, click "+ Add" to create entries.

Example withdrawal:

• Name: “Retirement Living Expenses”
• Amount: $4,000
• Frequency: Monthly
• Life Period: Retirement

One-time example:

• Name: “Home Down Payment”
• Amount: $50,000
• Frequency: One-time
• Start Date: June 2030

View Your Results

Switch between chart views using the tabs above the chart to understand your trajectory. If you’re not sure where to start next, go to Understanding Chart Views.