Documentation

Comprehensive guides and methodology for all our tools

Contents

Overview

Dean Financials provides a suite of financial planning tools designed to help you make informed decisions about debt management, retirement planning, and investment strategies. All our tools use industry-standard calculations and are built on proven financial principles.

Debt Payoff

Optimize your debt repayment strategy and save thousands in interest

Retirement

Model scenarios and track progress toward your retirement goals

Market Breadth

Monitor market health with real-time breadth indicators

Debt Payoff Planner

How It Works

The Debt Payoff Planner helps you create a strategic plan to eliminate debt using proven payoff strategies. Enter your debts, set your extra payment amount, and choose between the Avalanche or Snowball method.

Payoff Strategies

Avalanche Method

Prioritizes debts by interest rate (highest first). This method saves you the most money in interest over time.

Best for: Maximizing savings

Snowball Method

Prioritizes debts by balance (smallest first). This method provides quick psychological wins as you eliminate debts faster.

Best for: Motivation and momentum

Calculation Formula

Monthly Interest = (Balance × Annual Rate) / 12

New Balance = (Previous Balance + Monthly Interest) - Payment

Repeat until Balance = $0

Tips for Success

  • • Always pay at least the minimum on all debts to avoid penalties
  • • Apply any extra money to the target debt identified by your chosen strategy
  • • Review and update your plan monthly as balances change
  • • Consider refinancing high-interest debt if you qualify for better rates

Retirement Planner

How It Works

The Retirement Planner projects your portfolio growth using compound interest calculations. Create multiple scenarios to compare different contribution strategies, retirement ages, and expected returns.

Key Inputs

Current Age & Retirement Age

Determines your time horizon for compound growth

Current Savings

Your starting portfolio balance

Monthly Contribution

Regular deposits that compound over time

Expected Return

Annual growth rate (conservative: 5-6%, moderate: 7-8%)

Calculation Formula

FV = PV × (1 + r)^n + PMT × [((1 + r)^n - 1) / r]

Where:

FV = Future Value (retirement balance)

PV = Present Value (current savings)

PMT = Monthly payment

r = Monthly interest rate

n = Number of months

Planning Guidelines

  • • The 25x Rule: Aim for 25-30 times your desired annual retirement income
  • • The 4% Rule: Plan to withdraw 4% of your portfolio annually in retirement
  • • Account for inflation when setting your goal (reduce expected returns by ~2-3%)
  • • Review and adjust your plan annually or when life circumstances change

Market Breadth Dashboard

What is Market Breadth?

Market breadth measures the number of stocks participating in a market move. It helps distinguish between strong, broad-based rallies and weak rallies driven by just a few stocks.

Our Metric

We track the percentage of S&P 500 stocks trading above their 20-day moving average.

This provides a clear, quantifiable measure of market participation and underlying strength.

Interpretation Guide

Strong (>70%)

Broad participation suggests healthy market strength. May also signal overbought conditions.

Neutral (30-70%)

Mixed market with no clear extreme. Watch for trend changes.

Weak (<30%)

Limited participation suggests market weakness. May also signal oversold conditions.

How to Use This Data

  • • Use breadth as a confirmation tool, not a timing signal
  • • Divergences between price and breadth can signal potential reversals
  • • Extreme readings (>80% or <20%) often precede market turning points
  • • Combine with other indicators and fundamental analysis for best results

Methodology

All our calculations are based on industry-standard financial formulas and best practices:

  • Compound Interest: All growth calculations use monthly compounding for accuracy
  • Privacy First: All calculations happen locally in your browser - your data never leaves your device
  • Transparent: All formulas and assumptions are clearly documented
  • Real-Time: Market data refreshes during trading hours

Best Practices

General Tips

  • 1. Be Conservative: When in doubt, use conservative estimates for returns and aggressive estimates for expenses
  • 2. Review Regularly: Update your plans quarterly or when major life events occur
  • 3. Model Scenarios: Create best-case, likely-case, and worst-case scenarios to prepare for different outcomes
  • 4. Take Action: Planning is just the first step - implement your strategy and track progress
  • 5. Consult Professionals: Our tools provide guidance, but complex situations benefit from professional financial advice