The following Learning Tools may be helpful as you prepare your personal financial plan:

15.   Possible Benchmarks for Your Investment Plan

This document shows possible benchmarks for most of the major asset classes.

23.   Return Simulation Spreadsheet

This spreadsheet shows the impact of various investment strategies and also shows the volatility for different asset classes. This spreadsheet will also show you the historical impact of different asset allocation decisions for several asset classes.

26.   After-Tax, Equivalent Taxable Yield, and After-Inflation Returns

This spreadsheet calculates the after-tax return, equivalent taxable yield, and after-inflation return on various assets.

27.   Expected Return Simulation

This spreadsheet shows a historical perspective on returns and standard deviation (risk) for the major asset classes over the last one, five, ten, twenty-five, fifty, seventy-five, and eighty years. The spreadsheet also includes recommended benchmarks for some of the major asset classes.

32. Taxes on Security Earnings including Qualified Dividends

This Excel worksheet helps you determine the different types of taxes on security earnings so you can invest more tax-efficiently.  It also includes a tab to help you see if your stock dividends will qualify as qualified dividends.

33. Calculating After-tax Security Returns

This Excel worksheet helps you calculate before tax and after-tax security returns.