About OwnFinancialPlanning

Why this exists

Most people don't have a financial plan — not because they don't care, but because the tools meant to help them are either intimidating spreadsheets or sales funnels dressed up as advice. Banks and brokerages offer "free" planners that quietly steer you toward the products they earn commissions on.

OwnFinancialPlanning was built to be the opposite: a clear, jargon-free planner that works backward from your real goals to tell you exactly how much to invest each month — with nothing to sell you and no data to harvest. It's designed for ordinary people, not finance experts. If a term needs explaining, we explain it on the spot.

Who we are

OwnFinancialPlanning is built and maintained by a small, independent team passionate about making financial planning accessible to everyone. We're developers, designers, and finance enthusiasts who believe that clear, unbiased planning tools should be free for anyone who needs them — no account, no upsell, no fine print.

How our method works

Our planner uses a goal-based, time-horizon approach that mirrors how fee-only financial planners think:

• Goals first. You define what you're saving for, how much, and by when. Each goal is planned independently so a short-term need isn't exposed to long-term market risk.
• Time horizon drives the mix. Money you need soon is held in stable instruments (high-yield savings, T-Bills, I-Bonds); money with years to grow leans into low-cost index funds. The allocation glides automatically based on each goal's deadline.
• Inflation is built in. We grow your targets to their future cost so the plan reflects real purchasing power, not today's dollars.
• Math, not opinions. Monthly contributions are calculated with a standard future-value (growing annuity) formula, the same math behind any retirement calculator.

Our assumptions are transparent

Return estimates are based on long-run US historical averages — ~10% per year for broad equity index funds (a 30-year average that already includes major downturns), and ~4–5% for bonds and short-term instruments. These are guides, not guarantees. Every assumption we use is spelled out in our Disclaimer, and you can adjust key inputs like inflation and timelines yourself.

How we stay free & independent

The site is supported by display advertising, which lets us keep the planner completely free with no login and no paywall. We have no financial relationship with any bank, brokerage, or fund company, and we earn nothing from the instruments our tool mentions — they're unsponsored examples only. Advertising revenue and product recommendations are kept entirely separate, so the plan you get has no sales bias.

US-market focus

The return assumptions, account types (401(k), Roth IRA), and instruments (T-Bills, I-Bonds, HYSA) referenced throughout the planner are based on US markets and US tax-advantaged account structures. If you're outside the US, the planning method still applies, but you may need to adapt the specific account types and vehicles to what's available in your country.

Important note

OwnFinancialPlanning is an educational tool, not a registered investment advisor, and nothing here is personalized financial advice. Before making significant financial decisions, please consult a qualified, licensed professional. Questions or feedback? Reach us on our contact page.