Topic guide
Scenario Planning
Worked comparisons for contribution timing, lump-sum investing, recurring investments, and long-term sensitivity testing.
4 published articles in this topic.
Calculator MethodologyScenario Planning
Beginning vs End-of-Month Contributions in an Investment Calculator
Learn why contribution timing changes a projection, how the calculation works, and how to compare tools using consistent assumptions.
Investment AssumptionsScenario Planning
How to Choose a Return Assumption for an S&P 500 Calculator
A practical framework for testing conservative, central, and higher return assumptions without treating a calculator as a forecast.
Scenario Planning
Lump Sum vs Dollar-Cost Averaging: What a Fixed-Return Model Shows
Compare investing a lump sum immediately with spreading it over time, including what fixed-return calculations can and cannot tell you.
Calculator MethodologyScenario Planning
Why S&P 500 Calculators Give Different Results
Learn why S&P 500 calculations differ when tools use different dividend, contribution timing, compounding, fee, tax, inflation, and return assumptions.