Methodology

PFOS Calculation and Scoring Methodology

Every number in PFOS comes from a rules-based engine that can explain itself. Here is how it works — and where its limits are.

Your Next Move

A planner's order of operations

PFOS ranks what matters most for your numbers using the same order a good planner follows, tells you the single next move, and spells out why. It is rules-based and transparent — not a black box.

1

Cover the basics

Steady cash flow, a starter emergency fund and the protection your household needs.

2

Clear costly debt

Pay down high-interest debt while capturing any employer retirement match.

3

Build full reserves

Grow the emergency fund to its full target.

4

Invest for the future

Fund tax-advantaged accounts, then long-term growth.

How Numbers Are Made

One engine behind every result

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One calculation engine
Every calculator in PFOS runs on the same engine, so the same question always gets the same answer — in the app and on this site.
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Monte Carlo retirement targets
Your financial-independence number comes from 10,000 simulated market paths, sized so the money lasts in 95% of them, with withdrawals rising 3% a year for inflation.
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Current tax tables
Tax estimates use 2026 federal and state tax tables.
🩺
Health scores from real data
The four scores are calculated from the numbers you enter or connect — not from a questionnaire.
Limits

What the numbers are — and are not

All projections are illustrative and not guaranteed. Results depend on the information you provide and on assumptions about markets, inflation and taxes that will not hold exactly. PFOS is for informational and planning purposes; it does not provide investment, legal or tax advice. Decisions about specific investments, insurance or taxes should be reviewed with a licensed professional.

Keep Exploring

More about how PFOS works

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