How CoastMath works

Browse by topic

• Start here

  Set up a first plan and see how each projected year is built.

  • Build your first plan
  • How CoastMath calculates each plan year
  • Today’s dollars and future dollars

  See all 5 Start here articles
• Income and benefits

  Wages, self-employment, Social Security, pensions and payroll deductions.

  • Social Security benefits
  • Wages, raises and work income
  • Pensions, annuities and other income

  See all 6 Income and benefits articles
• Spending and healthcare

  Expenses, spending rules, health coverage, medical costs and giving.

  • Recurring and one-time expenses
  • Flexible spending rules
  • Medicare premiums and IRMAA

  See all 7 Spending and healthcare articles
• Accounts and saving

  Account types, opening balances, contributions and where surplus is saved.

  • How each account type grows and is taxed
  • Contributions, employer match and limits
  • Direct surplus into accounts

  See all 7 Accounts and saving articles
• Withdrawals and distributions

  How shortfalls are funded, penalties, RMDs, 72(t) and inherited accounts.

  • How shortfalls are funded
  • Why withdrawals appear before you expect them
  • Required minimum distributions

  See all 7 Withdrawals and distributions articles
• Taxes

  Federal, state and investment taxes, deductions, conversions and estate tax.

  • How CoastMath calculates income tax
  • Roth conversions
  • Withholding, refunds and balances due

  See all 10 Taxes articles
• Home, property and debt

  Homes and other real assets, selling them, and the loans against them.

  • Homes and other real assets
  • Selling a home or property
  • Mortgages and loans
• Milestones and life events

  Milestones, couples, a partner’s death, moves and the independence estimate.

  • Milestones and event timing
  • Plan for a couple
  • The financial independence estimate

  See all 5 Milestones and life events articles
• Assumptions and analysis

  Market and inflation assumptions, growth, success odds and comparisons.

  • Success odds
  • Market, inflation and wage assumptions
  • Why the projection and success odds differ

  See all 6 Assumptions and analysis articles
• Reading results

  Read the overview, cash flow and tax views, shortfalls and reports.

  • Read the overview and net worth
  • Trace a year of money in and out
  • When a plan runs short

  See all 8 Reading results articles
• Account and support

  Signing in, saving, Premium, the iPhone app and deleting your account.

  • Sign in and find your plans
  • When a change doesn’t save or results look stale
  • Free and Premium

  See all 5 Account and support articles