Financial Decision Tools
& Plain-English Guides
45 free calculators + 168 money guides. Every tool gives you a decision, every guide gives you a plan. No sign-ups, no ads.
Homeowner & Borrower
16 toolsMortgage Calculator
Monthly payment with taxes, insurance, and PMI breakdown.
PopularHome Affordability
How much house can you afford based on income and debts?
Refinance Calculator
Monthly savings, break-even point, and total savings.
Refinance Break-Even
"Refinancing makes sense if you stay longer than X months"
Decision ToolShould I Wait to Refinance?
"Waiting only helps if rates fall by at least X%"
Decision ToolExtra Payment Planner
"Extra payments save $X and shorten loan by Y years"
Decision ToolAre Points Worth It?
"Points make sense if you keep the loan X years"
Decision ToolRent vs Buy
"Buying becomes cheaper after X years"
Decision ToolTax Benefit Estimator
Itemize vs standard deduction with SALT cap impact.
NewRecast vs Refinance
"Recast is cheaper if rates stay high"
Decision ToolHome Equity Growth
Equity projection from appreciation + payments.
NewPMI Removal Planner
"Extra payments remove PMI X months earlier"
Decision ToolSell vs Refinance vs Stay
"Selling is best if moving within X years"
Decision ToolProperty Tax Impact
"Taxes increase your payment by X%"
NewHOA Fee Impact
"HOA fees reduce buying power by $X"
NewAmortization Schedule
Full payment schedule with extra payment modeling.
Debt & Borrowing
14 toolsDebt Payoff Optimizer
"Avalanche saves $X more, Snowball finishes Y months sooner"
Decision ToolSnowball vs Avalanche
Compare strategies to get debt-free faster.
PopularBalance Transfer Worth It?
"Only worth it if paid off before promo ends"
Decision ToolLoan Consolidation
"Consolidation helps only if rate ≤ X%"
Decision ToolRefinance vs New Loan
"Refinance wins if fees < $X"
Decision ToolDebt vs Cash Cushion
"Keep $X cash, apply rest to debt"
Decision ToolCredit Utilization Planner
"Pay Card A first for maximum utilization improvement"
Decision ToolExtra Payment Levels
"Returns diminish beyond $X/month"
Decision ToolEmergency Fund vs Debt
"Build fund to X months, then attack debt"
Decision ToolCredit Card Payoff
See the cost of minimum payments.
Auto Loan Calculator
Car payments with trade-in and taxes.
Personal Loan Calculator
Monthly payment and true APR.
Loan Comparison
Compare offers side by side.
APR Calculator
True annual rate after fees.
Retirement & Paycheck
8 tools401(k) Match Optimizer
"Contribute at least X% to avoid leaving $Y on table"
Decision ToolPre-Tax vs Roth
"Roth wins if future tax ≥ X%"
Decision Tool401(k) Paycheck Impact
"Each 1% contribution costs only $X per paycheck"
Decision ToolBudget to Goal Planner
"Cutting X category reaches goal fastest"
Decision ToolRaise Net-Pay Calculator
"Your X% raise is really Y% after taxes"
Decision ToolSide Income Tax
"Set aside X% for taxes (about $Y/month)"
Decision ToolDebt-to-Income Ratio
Calculate your DTI for lenders.
Emergency Fund
How much safety net do you need?
Investing & Wealth
7 toolsCompound Interest
Watch your money grow over time.
PopularAsset Location Optimizer
"Put this asset in tax-advantaged account because..."
Decision ToolFee Drag Calculator
"A 0.5% fee costs $X over Y years"
Decision ToolLump Sum vs DCA
"Lump sum wins on average, DCA reduces regret risk"
Decision ToolInflation-Adjusted Value
"Your $X will feel like $Y in today's dollars"
Decision ToolInvestment Returns
Project future value with inflation adjustment.
Savings Goal
How long until you reach your goal?
Financial Guides
View all 68 guides →Financial Order of Operations
How to prioritize every dollar — the step-by-step money roadmap.
PopularHow to Start Investing
Account types, asset allocation, and your first steps as a beginner.
PopularRetirement Planning 101
401(k)s, IRAs, and how much you actually need to save.
Debt Payoff Strategies
Avalanche vs snowball vs consolidation — which method wins.
Improve Your Credit Score
The five factors and exactly how to move each one higher.
Build an Emergency Fund
How much you need, where to keep it, and how to start from zero.
Budgeting Methods Compared
50/30/20, zero-based, envelope, and more — find your system.
Roth IRA vs. Traditional IRA
Tax-now vs tax-later — the decision framework that works.
How Much House Can You Afford?
Affordability by salary with concrete examples from $50K–$250K.
How Much Life Insurance?
Income replacement, DIME method, and the factors that change your number.
Tax Brackets Explained
Marginal vs effective rates and why moving up a bracket isn't bad.
Money Moves in Your 20s
The compounding math that proves starting early is everything.
Why PocketWise?
Most financial calculators give you a number. PocketWise gives you a decision. Every tool on this site tells you what to do, not just what the math says.
"Refinancing makes sense if you stay longer than 14 months." "Roth wins if your future tax rate is above 22%." "Pay Card A first for maximum utilization improvement." That's the difference.
45 Tools + 68 Guides, Zero Sign-ups
Everything runs in your browser. No accounts, no data collection, no ads. Just honest math with a clean interface that works on your phone.
- Homeowner Tools — Refinance decisions, rent vs buy, PMI removal, equity projections
- Debt Tools — Snowball vs avalanche, balance transfers, consolidation, utilization optimization
- Retirement Tools — 401(k) matching, Roth vs Traditional, paycheck impact, raise calculators
- Investing Tools — Asset location, fee drag, lump sum vs DCA, inflation adjustment
- Financial Guides — 68 plain-English articles on investing, taxes, debt, insurance, real estate, budgeting, and life events
Built Different
Every calculator uses real financial formulas — the same math your bank uses. Results update in real-time as you adjust inputs. Decision guidance is personalized to your numbers, not generic advice.
We're not financial advisors. These tools are for education and planning. For personalized advice, consult a qualified financial professional.
PocketWise calculators are for educational purposes only. Results are estimates and should not be considered financial advice.