Firecalc usage problem

[USGrant1962]

I don’t think the Adblock is causing a problem for anyone. I think as far as this Firecalc issue, having Adblock actually prevents the issue.

I just ran some tests in Chrome and Edge with adblock (combo of uBlock Origin and DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials) and without (Incognito/InPrivate mode).

Yup, there is a bug when not running adblockers. If you start FC and click on one of the tabs it does not appear to respond. But if you scroll down it has appended the tab page below the Start Here page.

 

[Bogie]

I have noticed a problem with Firecalc. If I put in Spending, Portfolio and Years I get a resulting graph. I then add in Social security that I start in 2020 and the results don't change with the added social security income. So I changed the start year for SS to 2021 and the success rate improved substantially. It looks liker Firecalc is ignoring the SS income if it starts before 2021. I would expect the tool to work if I've been receiving SS for several years. Just as an experiment I set SS starting in 2020 and put in a huge value for SS income and Firecalc still ignored the SS income. It also ignores pension if it starts before 2021 which mine did. This seems like a bug in the program but maybe I'm somehow misunderstanding the way SS and pension are input into the program.

 

[braumeister]

Never enter anything in the past in FIRECalc.

Read the red print on the Other Income input tab.

 

[REWahoo]

Never enter anything in the past in FIRECalc.

^ This.

See the first thread in the FIRECalc Support Forum: https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f36/

 

[Midpack]

I have noticed a problem with Firecalc. If I put in Spending, Portfolio and Years I get a resulting graph. I then add in Social security that I start in 2020 and the results don't change with the added social security income. So I changed the start year for SS to 2021 and the success rate improved substantially. It looks liker Firecalc is ignoring the SS income if it starts before 2021. I would expect the tool to work if I've been receiving SS for several years. Just as an experiment I set SS starting in 2020 and put in a huge value for SS income and Firecalc still ignored the SS income. It also ignores pension if it starts before 2021 which mine did. This seems like a bug in the program but maybe I'm somehow misunderstanding the way SS and pension are input into the program.

Not a bug. At the top of the page you’re entering SS and pension.

If you leave this section alone, FIRECalc assumes there are no recurring sources of income and no recurring spending other than the initial spending you entered at the beginning. All of your retirement spending will come from your portfolio. Only enter changes for future years. Back-dated entries will not be factored in.

 

[Gumby]

You mean we're supposed to read the instructions?

 

[REWahoo]

RTFM...

 

[CindyBlue]

You mean we're supposed to read the instructions?

I've read these instructions multiple times over the years, but until very recently, I misinterpreted them. I thought that "Back-dated entries will not be factored in" meant that any income in that category previous to the present year would not be factored in, but that any income in that category past that year would be factored in.

I'm seeing that I'm not the only one who has made that error, so iif anyone in charge has a moment to spare, it might be a good idea to change the wording a bit.

I was sure glad that someone answered my question about this subject earlier this year, because it gave me a "raise!"

 

[braumeister]

I thought that "Back-dated entries will not be factored in" meant that any income in that category previous to the present year would not be factored in, but that any income in that category past that year would be factored in.
)

Understood.

But look at the sentence just before that.
Only enter changes for future years.

Sometimes we're our own worst enemy, aren't we?

 

[CindyBlue]

Understood.

But look at the sentence just before that.
Only enter changes for future years.

Sometimes we're our own worst enemy, aren't we?

Yep! Gotta read (grin!)