Legal

Financial disclaimer

The calculator on this site produces large numbers. Here is exactly what they mean and, more importantly, what they don’t.

Last updated: August 2026

Before launch

This is a draft, not attorney-reviewed language

I’ve written this to cover what this site actually does, so a lawyer has something concrete to work from rather than starting blank. Have counsel review it — along with the calculator and the Roth page — before you go live. I’m not a lawyer and this isn’t legal advice.

Ben is not a financial advisor

Ben Roberts is not a licensed financial advisor, broker, accountant, or tax professional. Nothing on this site is personalized investment advice, and no advisory relationship is created by reading it or using the calculator.

What he is: someone who learned this the hard way, built a plan, stuck to it, and reached financial freedom at 40. That is experience worth sharing. It is not a substitute for professional advice about your specific situation.

What the calculator actually does

It is an educational illustration of compound growth. It demonstrates a principle: that consistent investing over decades produces results most people badly underestimate. It is not a projection of your future and not a guarantee of anything.

Specifically, the calculator:

  • Assumes a fixed annual return that you choose — 7.5% by default, matching Chapter 7. Real markets do not deliver a fixed return. They rise and fall, sometimes severely, and the order in which those years arrive materially changes the outcome.
  • Uses simplified annual contributions and withdrawals. Real investing usually happens monthly through payroll deductions and automated transfers.
  • Does not account for inflation. Every figure it produces is shown in estimated future dollars, and should not be read as having the same purchasing power as that amount today. A dollar decades from now will buy considerably less than a dollar today.
  • Does not account for taxes, fees, fund expenses, or trading costs.
  • Assumes each account is drawn down to exactly zero over the period shown, which is a modeling convenience rather than a recommendation.
  • Does not account for job loss, illness, disability, family needs, or any of the ordinary interruptions of a real life.

Past performance is not a promise

Historical market returns are the basis for the default assumption, but history is not a guarantee. All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. You can lose money. Long time horizons reduce some risks and eliminate none of them.

No compensation from anyone

We accept no payment, commission, referral fee, or affiliate revenue from any investment platform, brokerage, fund, or financial product mentioned on this site. Where a platform is named, it is because we would genuinely recommend it — and we want you to be able to trust that.

Tax rules change every year

Contribution limits, income phase-outs, and account rules are updated annually and can change with legislation. We update this site each January, but always confirm current figures with the IRS or a tax professional before acting.

What to actually do

Use the calculator to understand the shape of the thing — how much starting early matters, how much waiting costs. Then take those questions to a licensed professional who can look at your income, your debts, your taxes, and your family situation.

The point of Chapter 7 was never a specific number. It was that your income matters far less than your plan.