{"id":936,"date":"2023-01-01T12:00:46","date_gmt":"2023-01-01T12:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/moneywithkatie.com\/?p=936"},"modified":"2025-09-04T20:23:59","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T20:23:59","slug":"2025-wealth-planner-faq-saving-timelines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moneywithkatie.com\/2025-wealth-planner-faq-saving-timelines\/","title":{"rendered":"How Your Saving Timelines Work"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In this year\u2019s Wealth Planner, we\u2019re tying your savings contributions to the timeline in which you intend to use them.<\/h3>\n
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  1. \n

    Emergency Fund <\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    Regular Bill Pay (Spending Now) \u2014 like the checking account where your paycheck is deposited.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    Taxes (Paying Soon) \u2014 like a savings account that you contribute money to each month to pay your quarterly taxes if you\u2019re self-employed.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  4. \n

    Sinking Fund (Spending Soon) \u2014 like a savings account that you\u2019re using to save up for a bigger purchase.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  5. \n

    Short-Term (Within 2 Years)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  6. \n

    Medium-Term (College, House, etc.) \u2014 think 529 plans or large brokerage accounts for a down payment.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  7. \n

    Long-Term (Financial Independence) \u2014 only contributions to accounts tagged with this timeline will count toward your Financial Independence calculation.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n

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    How the Long-Term (Financial Independence) tag works<\/h3>\n

    This is the only label you cannot change, since it\u2019s used in the backend to signal to our calculation that something should be included.<\/em><\/p>\n

    In order to make the Financial Independence calculation as accurate as possible, the Long-Term (Financial Independence)<\/strong> tag is how you indicate to the Planner that the funds in a particular account will be used for your eventual financial freedom (as opposed to your kid\u2019s college education, the down payment for a primary residence, or a blowout vacation).<\/p>\n

    You\u2019ll see how your planned contributions will impact your estimated balance(s) in the Financial Independence tab in the two right-most light green columns, \u201cTotal Long-Term Contributions\u201d and \u201cLong-Term Invested (EOY).\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    How Your \u201cLong-Term Contributions\u201d Change Over Time<\/h3>\n
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      Your \u201cLong-Term Contributions\u201d will be assumed to shift up or down with the percentage you anticipate for your income. For example, if you project 3% income growth per year, the current year\u2019s Long-Term Contributions total will be adjusted upward by 3% per year as well. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      If you\u2019d like to manually overwrite<\/strong> future assumptions about Long-Term Contributions, un-hide the FI Backend<\/strong> hidden tab, scroll to column AV<\/strong>, and write new values in to reflect what you\u2019d expect to save in a future year if it\u2019s different from the projection!<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

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