Investment Calculator
Finance and crypto
retirement calculator
SHOW HN2018
308points
210comments
#83of 2,155 in 2018
Top 4%of 2018 by points
How HN took it
MixedNo clear lean
14 positive, 36 neutral or asking, 7 mixed, 39 critical, out of 96 comments about the project. Thread score -0.24.
Performance: 1 for, 14 againstExecution: 1 for, 10 againstDesign: 5 for, 4 againstIdea: 2 for, 6 againstDocs: 1 for, 4 against
The thread, comment by comment
Each row is a top-level comment and its replies, in HN's order. Select a cell to open that comment on HN.
positive neutral or mixed critical about another commenter or something else the maker
What HN said
What people liked
Clean, polished UI design
From 4 comments
Impressive. I imagine lots effort has been put into making the user interface as clean as possible. It's a pleasure to fiddle with the parameters and see the impact on the…
lozzo on HNI very much enjoyed the design of the website. It is very similar to that of Stripe.
stockkid on HNLooks really nice and polished, thanks for sharing! Sorry for asking, but what exactly does the icon of the bag with money in the diagram indicate?
Sukram21 on HNGreat design... Only nitpick with the UI is the slider control: it feels scroll-jacky and doesn't offer a manual number input.
sarreph on HN
Easy to adjust parameters and see the curves change
From 2 comments
Impressive. I imagine lots effort has been put into making the user interface as clean as possible. It's a pleasure to fiddle with the parameters and see the impact on the…
lozzo on HNGreat interface, but I would find it more useful I could pick an estimate rate of return for my investments and choose the rate of inflation. It's also be useful for there to be…
jartelt on HN
Objections
Return assumptions (9% conservative, 12% aggressive) are far too optimistic
From 4 comments
Yeah, it's also using a 9% rate of return for the "conservative" scenario and 12% for aggressive. Due to the exponential nature of compound interest, just a single point of…
teej on HNBe careful with this: The projections are gross (ie not inflation-adjusted) and the advice buried in the explanatory text below does not sufficiently discuss this issue. It says…
thetwentyone on HNYowzers! Please tell me what this magical investment is where I can expect an average rate of return of 9% (let alone 12%). That is off the charts optimistic.
ryandrake on HNI love the simplicity and the look of the UI. Unfortunately I think the simplicity means that very important parameters are being left out. Ideally, you should be able to specify…
allsunny on HN
Inflation math in the FAQ is wrong ($1.25m minus $45k is not $880k)
From 4 comments
"In order to get a good understanding of the purchasing power of your future retirement savings for today, you can do a “simple” calculation: Take your total retirement savings…
_lex on HNFrom the FAQ: What is my retirements purchasing power today? Inflation is inevitable. If that word is new to you, it simply determines how much purchasing power your dollar has.…
cure on HNMath error: $1.25m - $45k is not $880k. It's 1.205M.
pjholmes on HNI think `$1.25m - $45k = $880k` should be `$1.25m - $45k = $1.205m`. $45k is $45,000 and not $450,000.
rudolph_codes on HN
Projections are nominal, not inflation-adjusted
From 1 comment
Be careful with this: The projections are gross (ie not inflation-adjusted) and the advice buried in the explanatory text below does not sufficiently discuss this issue. It says…
thetwentyone on HN
Confusing inputs and unclear meaning of aggressive and conservative
From 4 comments
You desperately need to grab someone from the street and see if he knows what he's looking at. The UI is not very intuitive, or you have specific target audience. - Age range…
alphaoide on HNI'd like to know what aggressive/conservative means, and also be able change it, aggressive in the US might be different than in other countries.
pedro_hab on HN"How much do you currently have saved?" What does this mean? Cash? Illiquid assets? Retirement funds?
uptown on HNIt should be possible to click on or hover over "aggressive" and "conservative" and see what the assumptions are. And the simulations must be account for volatility to be useful.…
poster123 on HN
Requests
Let users set rate of return and inflation rate
From 3 comments
I love the simplicity and the look of the UI. Unfortunately I think the simplicity means that very important parameters are being left out. Ideally, you should be able to specify…
allsunny on HNGreat interface, but I would find it more useful I could pick an estimate rate of return for my investments and choose the rate of inflation. It's also be useful for there to be…
jartelt on HN5% for conservative and 7% for aggressive would have been better choices...I know the goal was to make this calculator simple, but those values should have be configurable with…
naiyt on HN
Explain what aggressive and conservative mean and show assumptions
From 3 comments
It should be possible to click on or hover over "aggressive" and "conservative" and see what the assumptions are. And the simulations must be account for volatility to be useful.…
poster123 on HNI'd like to know what aggressive/conservative means, and also be able change it, aggressive in the US might be different than in other countries.
pedro_hab on HNThe tool fails to explain what specific investments it's modelling this on. I'm assuming ETFs, but those returns seem suspiciously high.
sparky_ on HN
Account for volatility in simulations
From 1 comment
It should be possible to click on or hover over "aggressive" and "conservative" and see what the assumptions are. And the simulations must be account for volatility to be useful.…
poster123 on HN
Support for a max-401k option and major expenses
From 2 comments
Great interface, but I would find it more useful I could pick an estimate rate of return for my investments and choose the rate of inflation. It's also be useful for there to be…
jartelt on HNHow come I can't say how many major expenditures I'm planning? I got to put 2 kids through college and buy a house.
tootie on HN
Questions
Which funds or investments are the return rates based on?
From 2 comments
The tool fails to explain what specific investments it's modelling this on. I'm assuming ETFs, but those returns seem suspiciously high.
sparky_ on HNWould be really nice if you could add funds & portfolios. Also how are you calculating growth rate? which funds?
prometheuspk on HN
Does it assume you live forever or die at some age?
From 1 comment
Does this assume that I'll live forever, or that I'll die some day?
WalterGR on HN
Alternatives named
FIRECalc
From 2 comments
Those seeking a much more sophisticated retirement calculator, where you can set nearly every parameter, such as rate of return, amount saved, and nearly everything else, should…
compiler-guy on HNhttp://firecalc.com has better math and less distracting gunk like the nonsense ways to "Save more"
gowld on HN
Vanguard retirement nest egg calculator
From 1 comment
As others have noted the assumptions in this calculator are dangerously optimistic. The only simple retirement calculator you need is here:…
modeless on HN
Personal Capital retirement planner
From 1 comment
Pretty cool! I use the "Retirement Planner" from Personal Capital (like Mint but for investments) Some of the notable features are: - Adding future income events (social…
cowholio4 on HN
AARP retirement calculator
From 1 comment
I love the simplicity and the look of the UI. Unfortunately I think the simplicity means that very important parameters are being left out. Ideally, you should be able to specify…
allsunny on HN