(above).Learn about the Lifetime Planner
Tip: For easier reading, click (above).
Money 99Æs Lifetime Planner helps you create a plan for accomplishing your long-term goals. These might include retirement, paying for college, taking a sabbatical from work, or other events.
Your plan is automatically integrated with information you enter elsewhere in Money. For example, when you update the balances of your investment and other accounts in the Accounts place, they're automatically updated in the Lifetime Planner.
Once you create your plan, the Lifetime Planner tells you what you need to do today to start following through on your plan.
If you keep your accounts current, update your goals as they change, and try to follow the other strategies suggested throughout the Planner, your forecasts will be accurate ù no matter where life takes you.
Before you start using the Lifetime Planner, be sure to take the Lifetime Planner tour:
What other planning tools are available in Money?
The Debt Reduction Planner and Budget Planner, both included in the Financial Planner, can help you create an even more thorough financial strategy for your lifetime. And be sure to check out the calculators in Decision Center to help you make specific financial decisions.
To see a list of calculators:
It's easy! The Lifetime Planner tracks all the life events you enter, so instead of entering a specific date, you can choose an event as the date. For example, in the Career place, when you add a new career event, you'll notice that you can enter a specific date, or choose events such as "Starts career," "Goes to college," "Retires," and "Is [a particular age]" for each member of your family.
What do items in blue and gray text mean?
Gray items are ones you specified to exclude from your lifetime plan. (Note that if you exclude an item, other items associated with it are also excluded. For example, when you exclude a house account, the associated rental income is also excluded.)
Blue items mean that the item's end date is in the past or the end date is scheduled as being before the start date. (The latter might happen if you link a date to an event and then edit that event.)
Both blue and gray items are ignored by the Budget Planner forecast.
What kinds of "what if" scenarios can I try out with the Lifetime Planner?
You can try out just about any "what if" event that might have a major financial impact. (For example, taking time off work, receiving an inheritance, sending your kids to college, or retiring early.) The place names in the left pane of the Lifetime Planner will help you determine where you should go to try out a particular "what if" event. Once you're there, use Money Help to help you create the event.