Tools and Calculators

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Additional discussions and reviews of these Tools and Calculators can be found in the discussion page (tab at top). Caution: Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Contents

Backtesting

Bond Calculators

Find out what your bonds are worth.


Broker Check

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, known as FINRA, is the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business with the United States public—more than 5,000 firms employing more than 660,000 registered representatives. FINRA was created in 2007 through the consolidation of NASD and NYSE Member Regulation.

FINRA BrokerCheck is a free tool to help investors check the professional background of current and former FINRA-registered securities firms and brokers. It should be the first resource investors turn to when choosing whether to do business with a particular broker or brokerage firm. Note that financial advisors can also be registered brokers.

At the report summary, select "View Full PDF Report" (upper right corner) to get the full details.


College Savings Planner


IRA


Inflation Data


Life Expectancy Calculators

Lifestyle Calculators

These calculators use historical models to predict your life expectancy based on your lifestyle and family history.

IRS Life Expectancy Tables

The IRS also has a view of your life expectancy, which is used solely for determining the Required Minimum Distribution of your IRA. Your age, your spouse's age, and beneficiary status are taken into account.

This Google Docs spreadsheet will calculate your life expectancy (or distribution period) based on Tables I, II, or III in IRS Publication 590 (IRAs):


Loan and Mortgage Calculators

A mortgage is a type of loan dedicated for financing the purchase of real estate. You can sometimes find mortgage calculators grouped with other types of loan calculators. The links below contain both dedicated mortgage calculators as well as calculators used for other types of loans.

Key loan parameters are principal, interest rate, periodic payment, and duration. Mortgage calculators can also include parameters such as rate of inflation and taxation. "Rent versus buy" decisions are specialized forms of mortgage calculators.

On its default setting, note that rent increases 3% per year while homes appreciate at 1% per year. A suggested assumption is for both to increase at the rate of inflation.
Contains numerous mortgage and financial calculators both online and download versions (email registration required for download). Includes various loan calculators (amortization, payments, etc.), refinancing, rent vs. buy, PMI with amortization.
An extensive number of mortgage calculators. With one or two mortgages, there's a calculator for: Debt consolidation, extra payments (prepayment), refinancing.
Also: When to terminate Private Mortgage Insurance, housing affordability, Adjustable Rate Mortgages with / without negative amortization, comparison of fixed-rate versus Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs), points and fees, downpayments, terms, annual percentage rate (APR)
This calculator enables you to accurately calculate the tax savings of the mortgage.
Contains mortgage calculators for just about anything.
Be sure to check Financial Calculators from DinkyTown.net. There are (claimed to be) 300 financial calculators that should cover just about anything financial.
Use this calculator to determine the total cost in today's dollars of various mortgage alternatives taking into account your opportunity cost of money.
A calculator that uses slider bars to graphically show the principal vs. interest breakdown over the period of the mortgage.
Free from Microsoft, for Excel 97 or later. To download, use Internet Explorer with cookies enabled (Firefox will not work). Microsoft will install an ActiveX control. The download will open a new spreadsheet in Excel.
When you put in the interest rate, points, term, etc. it shows a monthly tally of principle and interest payments. You can then compare what you are paying now with the new loan. It will also show total interest for the term of the loan. For any monthly payment you can enter a lump sum payment to see what happens to the total interest as a result of accelerating your pay schedule.


Mutual Fund Fee Calculators

Fees and expenses are an important consideration in selecting a mutual fund because these charges lower your returns. Compare the fees and expenses of different mutual funds before you invest.

The Fund Analyzer offers information and analysis on over 18,000 mutual funds, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs). Estimate the value of the funds and impact of fees and expenses on your investment. Look up applicable fees and available discounts for funds. Features:
Real-time online comparison of up to 3 funds. (Use different calculator if the fund is not listed.)
Expense analysis: Slider bars allow variation of your investment, return and period (duration held).
Fee/Discount report: View a breakdown of the fund's expenses. If the information is not provided, the field is blank.
You must accept the Terms and Conditions when you first enter the site (check the box and hit OK).
An easy to use calculator that graphically shows the impact of fund expenses on your final balance.
Identical to the calculator from Dinkytown.net
A Canadian mutual fund expense calculator. It will also work with US equities. Referenced from Finiki, the Bogleheads' affiliated Canadian wiki site.
The AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) is a popular web site for retirement information. No calculator, just links to calculators from the SEC and FINRA, already mentioned above.
The basics. It's somewhat lacking from what you would find elsewhere.


Retirement Calculators

Need someone knowledgeable to provide comment/rating of these. Some are monte carlo, others not. Each has pros and cons.

A 2-page worksheet that can be done online or printed. A rough estimate of how much you need to save for retirement.
There's also a version for government employees which includes the Federal annuity and Thrift Savings Plan
Pros: Runs until simulated death rather than a fixed 30 years. Able to give assets above some limit to charity/relatives/friends. Supports international diversification. Uses Shiller's return data, and U.S. LIfe Tables of mortality.
Cons: Doesn't simulate non-TIPS bonds.
An Excel spreadsheet which compares your portfolio against a TIPS baseline. Includes a Monte Carlo analysis.

Boglehead discussion on the above calculators

Social Security

The Social Security Administration maintains several benefits calculators to estimate your potential benefit amounts using different retirement dates and levels of future earnings. In order of ease-of-use.

  • Quick Calculator - This calculator gives you a simple, rough estimate when you input your date of birth and this year's earnings.
  • Retirement Estimator - Produces estimates that are based on your actual Social Security earnings record.
  • Online Calculator - Input your date of birth and your complete earnings history to get a benefit estimate. You may project your future earnings until your retirement date.
  • Detailed Calculator - This calculator provides the most precise estimates. It must be downloaded and installed on your computer.


RMD (Required Minimum Distribution) Calculators

The RMD (Required Minimum Distribution) calculators should be checked against the IRS Life Expectancy Tables to be sure that the appropriate table is to be used in your situation. Additional comments in the discussion page (tab at top).


Portfolio Tools


Stock/Fund Charts


Taxable-Equivalent Yields

If an investment is taxable, the yield is after taxes are paid (not before). Use these calculators to find the yield that's equivalent to a tax-exempt investment.


Treasury Data


How to Cite

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Resources and Links
Academics • Books and Authors • Bogleheads Authors • Financial Websites and Blogs • Glossary • Google Docs.spreadsheets • Historical and Expected Returns • Tools and Calculators
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