Working with Financial Entries
How contributions and withdrawals work: frequency, life periods, and date ranges.
Financial entries are the building blocks of your simulation:
- Contributions add money to savings
- Withdrawals take money from savings
Enter amounts as positive numbers. The tab you add the entry from determines whether it adds to savings or subtracts from savings.
Frequency Options Explained
One-Time
- Occurs once on a specific date
- Use for: Home purchase, inheritance, large medical expense
- Example:
$100,000down payment on January 1, 2030
Monthly
- Occurs every month
- Use for: Salary savings, rent, mortgage, living expenses
- Example:
$1,200monthly retirement contribution
Quarterly
- Occurs at the end of each calendar quarter (March, June, September, December)
- Use for: Bonuses, quarterly dividends, insurance payments
- Example:
$3,000quarterly bonus
Yearly
- Occurs once per year on a month you specify
- Use for: Annual vacation, property taxes, insurance premiums
- Example:
$5,000annual vacation in July
Life Period Scoping
Instead of setting specific dates, you can tie entries to life periods. Entries tied to life periods automatically adjust when you change ages in the Timeline settings.
Pre-Retirement
- From simulation start → retirement age
- Use for: Salary savings, career expenses
Early Retirement (Optional)
- From early retirement age → full retirement age
- Use for: Part-time income, reduced expenses during transition
Retirement
- From retirement age → life expectancy
- Use for: Living expenses, hobbies, healthcare
Example: A monthly contribution of $2,000 with life period “Pre-Retirement” will automatically start at your start year and stop at your retirement age.
Custom Date Ranges
Override life periods when you need specific dates.
Example: Mortgage Payment
- Amount:
$2,500/month - Start Date: January 2026
- End Date: January 2046 (20-year mortgage)
For real-world entry patterns, browse the scenario catalog and filter by country or category.