Tools & Calculators

Practical tools for solving real retirement problems.

The Rundown is built for front-line reps and serious DIY investors who need to understand the rules — not just read about them. These tools are built to help you apply those rules to real situations: excess contributions, rollover math, RMD estimates, and more.

Everything here is education-only — not individualized tax, investment, or legal advice. Use these as a starting point, not a final answer.

A comic illustrating retirement planning tool concepts

Built by an 8-year retirement specialist from Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade. Every tool uses real IRS formulas, not simplified approximations.

Tools

The tool library.

Seven tools available now. More in development — subscribers will be notified when each new tool goes live.

Tool · Free

RMD Calculator

Calculate your Required Minimum Distribution for any year. Uses the official IRS Uniform Lifetime Table and Joint Life Expectancy Table from Publication 590-B. Handles SECURE 2.0 age rules, spouse beneficiary scenarios, and shows the full calculation breakdown.

Browser-based • Full breakdown • Free
Use This Tool →
Tool · Free

Roth vs. Traditional IRA — Which Is Right for You?

Answer a few questions about your income, tax bracket, and retirement plans. Get a personalized side-by-side comparison with a Net After-Tax Wealth breakdown, state tax impact, and a plain-English recommendation.

Browser-based • Printable output • Free
Use This Tool →
Tool · Free

Small Business Retirement Plan Selector

Answer a few questions about your business, income, and contribution goals. Get a personalized recommendation across SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, Solo 401(k), Safe Harbor 401(k), and Cash Balance plans — plus the next-best alternative and the trap to avoid.

Browser-based • Decision-tree logic • Free
Use This Tool →

Excess Contribution Correction Tool

Find out exactly how much you need to withdraw to fix an excess IRA or Roth IRA contribution. Calculates your net income attributable (NIA) using the IRS formula, tells you the corrected withdrawal amount to the penny, and shows what your custodian reports on Form 1099-R. Built for the correction call you are about to make.

Browser-based • Printable output • $79

Or included in All-Access — $149/year unlocks every tool →

7-day refund window on all paid tools.

Open the Tool →

Recharacterization Calculator

Calculate the exact dollar amount that must transfer when recharacterizing an IRA contribution from Traditional to Roth or vice versa. Handles proportional earnings, partial recharacterizations, and generates the written statement your custodian requires to process it.

Browser-based • Printable output • $79

Or included in All-Access — $149/year unlocks every tool →

7-day refund window on all paid tools.

Open the Calculator →

IRA Pro-Rata Calculator

See exactly how much of your Roth conversion is taxable before you convert. Pulls in every Traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE IRA balance, calculates your pro-rata ratio the way Form 8606 does, shows the bracket impact on your tax return, and flags whether the 401(k) rollover strategy could make the conversion tax-free.

Browser-based • Printable output • $99

Or included in All-Access — $149/year unlocks every tool →

7-day refund window on all paid tools.

Open the Calculator →

For business owners

Small Business Excess Contribution Fix

Correction plan for excess contributions to a SIMPLE IRA, SEP IRA, or owner-only Solo 401(k). Identifies the right pathway (corrective distribution, self-correction, or VCP referral), calculates net income attributable under Treas. Reg. 1.408-11, and generates a personalized PDF with deadlines, IRS form references, and step-by-step correction procedures.

Decision-tree logic • Personalized PDF output • $129

Or included in All-Access — $149/year unlocks every tool →

7-day refund window on all paid tools.

Open the Tool →

RMD & Roth Conversion Planner

Map your complete RMD and Roth conversion strategy across 10+ years. See exactly how much you owe in RMDs each year, what converting to Roth saves you in lifetime taxes, where IRMAA surcharges hit your Medicare premiums, and how Qualified Charitable Distributions can offset them. Generates a personalized 7-page PDF report you can share with your advisor or accountant.

Browser-based • Printable output • $149

Or included in All-Access — $149/year unlocks every tool →

7-day refund window on all paid tools.

Open the Planner →
Tool · Planned

Rollover Eligibility Checker

Map out whether a specific account-to-account move is allowed, what type of transaction it is (rollover vs. transfer), whether the one-per-year rule applies, and what to watch out for.

In development — subscribers will be notified when live.

Ready to skip the per-tool purchases?

All-Access unlocks every tool above, plus every new tool released during your subscription. Cancel anytime.

Or subscribe to the newsletter for tool announcements.

Education-only disclaimer

The Retirement News Rundown, its Substack newsletter, and all tools on this page are for general education and information only. They do not provide individualized investment, tax, or legal advice, and they do not establish a client relationship with any firm or individual.

Always consult your own tax professional, financial advisor, or legal counsel before making decisions about your accounts, investments, or retirement strategy.