Under Assumptions > Taxes:
Is the data item "Percentage change in taxes" expressed in points or pct? If my marginal rate is 35%, would a 2% value in this field take it to:
- 37% (ie - a 2-point increase) OR
- 35.7% (ie - a 2% increase)
I'm guessing the latter, but it would be nice if the explanation in the online help would clarify that.

Thanks,
Barry

I am trying to calculate the most accurate assumption to use in the "Two can live as cheaply as" field, using our (my husband and my) specific budget figures. However, I don't know whether the program assumes this figure applies to total spending, including "off the top" expenditures (like housing), or just discretionary consumption. Could you please clarify?

Hi -- I just purchased ESPlanner yesterday, so today is my first day working it. In my first run, I used the Conventional Planning method, specifying the discretionary retirement spend to start in 2017, on the assumption that I retire at the end of 2016 and my wife retires at the end of March 2017. As the attached screen shot indicates, I got a very odd result for the years 2015 and 2016, namely that we should aim to spend over $1.4million each year, before settling down to our target expenditure of 'a mere' $180K per year.

Can you help me understand what nominal rates of return control in the assumptions tab? It doesn't seem to be the total rate of return, but the 6% default value makes me think it isn't income generation.