Getting Started
Quick Start Guide: Portfolio longevity model
What the tool does
The drawdown tool helps you model portfolio longevity and see how your pot may change over time based on:
your age now
your starting pot
expected inflation and investment growth
how long you want the plan to run
when drawdown begins
how much you want to take each year
The results update automatically as you make changes.
1. Start with Assumptions
In the Assumptions section, enter your main plan details:
Current age
Starting pot
Inflation rate
Investment return rate
Retirement age
Retirement length
Annual drawdown budget
In the current MVP, the tool uses Retirement age and Retirement length to define when regular drawdown starts and how long the model runs.
The Annual drawdown budget is entered in today’s money. The tool increases it over time to reflect inflation.
2. Add Adjustments
Use Adjustments for anything that changes your plan in specific years.
Examples:
extra income
extra spending
extra contributions to your pot
For each adjustment, choose:
a name
the type
the amount
when it starts
when it ends, if needed
how often it happens
You can add more than one adjustment, edit them at any time, or remove them.
3. Use Templates for common situations
The Templates section gives you ready-made adjustments for common cases.
When you apply a template:
it creates a new adjustment
the adjustment appears in your list
you can change it if you want
Templates are a quick starting point, not a locked setting.
4. Read the Projection
The Projection section shows your results in two ways:
a chart showing how your pot changes over time
a table showing each year’s figures
Useful status messages:
Pending changes...: you’ve edited something and the update is about to run
Calculating...: the tool is updating the result
Ready: the result is current
Invalid input: one or more fields need fixing before results can update
If a field is highlighted, correct it and the projection will resume updating.
5. Save and manage models
If you are not signed in:
you can still use the tool
your current inputs stay in the browser on this device
to save models for later, you need to sign in or create an account
If you are signed in:
use Save model to keep your current version
use Manage models to create, rename, switch, or delete saved models
if you open another model while you have unsaved changes, the app will ask what you want to do first
Tips
Start simple, then add adjustments one at a time
Check the chart for the overall shape of your portfolio over time
Check the table when you want year-by-year detail
If results stop updating, look for highlighted fields or an Invalid input message