Money Guides and How-Tos

Plain-English explanations of the math behind common money decisions. Each guide links to the calculator that does the arithmetic for you.

From gross pay to net pay: each deduction, in order, with a quick way to estimate your paycheck.

Why your score changes the rate you are offered, what that means in dollars, and what to do before applying.

Three to six months is a common guide, but your job stability, household and fixed costs may call for more or less.

List assets, list liabilities, subtract. Plus how to value things and why the trend matters more than the number.

A practical plan: stop the bleeding, pick avalanche or snowball, and use calculators to see your debt-free date.

How the two accounts differ on taxes, contribution limits, employer match and flexibility, and how people often use both.

Rules of thumb for retirement saving, what they assume, and how to build your own estimate.

Interest on interest, explained with a simple example, the Rule of 72 and what it means for saving and borrowing.

How lenders use debt-to-income ratios, why the maximum is not always the right budget, and the costs people forget.

The formula behind principal and interest, what escrow adds, and a worked example you can check with the mortgage calculator.