Complete User Guide

Get a working retirement plan in minutes β€” then use the AI assistant, Adaptive Strategy engine, and stress tests to know it will hold up.

🧭 How to use this guide
The sections follow the real journey: create a plan, refine your profile, read your dashboard, then go deeper with the AI assistant and tools. Each feature lists what it is, where to find it, and how to use it. New here? Start with sections 1–4.
✨ What is new
Praxion opens with Quick Start (a working plan in minutes) and an adaptive dashboard with Guided / Standard / Power modes. Newer additions: Praxion AI (floating drawer), Adaptive Strategy in the AI Optimizer tab, the Scenario Lab, Balance Reconciliation in Data Health, HNW Insights for larger plans, and the Advisor Report you can print or save as a PDF.

1. Getting Started & Quick Start

Create Your Free Account

Signing up takes less than a minute β€” no credit card required.

  1. Click "Sign Up" or "Try as guest" from the homepage (Google sign-in is also supported).
  2. Enter your email and create a secure password, or continue with Google.
  3. Verify your email if prompted (check your spam folder if needed).
  4. You are taken to Quick Start to build your first plan.
πŸ’‘ Guest mode
You can explore as a guest and convert to a full account later without losing your data. Some premium areas (Praxion AI, Data Health, Income Planner, AI Optimizer, Advisor Report) prompt you to create a free account before opening.

Quick Start: A Working Plan in Minutes

Quick Start asks 13–16 questions and returns a complete, projected plan. You answer:

  • Age, marital status, work profile, state of residence
  • Whether you are working or retired, and target retirement age
  • Income, monthly expenses, and total savings (account breakdown optional)
  • Social Security expectations and planned annual retirement spending
  • Risk tolerance and how hands-on you want plan updates to be

Submit, and Praxion runs your first Roth + withdrawal simulation, Monte Carlo, and Financial Health score β€” then lands you on the Dashboard.

πŸ’‘ Smart defaults
Quick Start applies sensible defaults (for example, splitting savings across account types and estimating housing costs) so you see projections immediately. You refine everything later in Edit Profile.

Prefer a Single Tool First?

Not ready for a full plan? Several public tools work without signing up β€” each answers one question and deep-links you to Quick Start when you want more:

2. Building & Refining Your Profile

Your profile is your complete retirement plan β€” all of your accounts, income, expenses, goals, and assumptions. After Quick Start, add detail anytime in Edit Profile.

What it is: The full editor for everything in your plan.

Where to find it: Left sidebar β†’ Edit Profile (route /onboardingv2), or the Profile Summary on the dashboard.

How to use it: Open any card to edit that topic, then click Done to save. You do not have to fill everything at once.

The Edit Profile Card Dashboard

Edit Profile is a card dashboard β€” not a long linear wizard. There are 16 cards organized into 6 sections. Tap a card to open a focused editor for that topic:

πŸ—οΈ Foundation
  • Personal & household (ages, marital status, state)
πŸ’΅ Income
  • Work income (salary, growth, spouse)
🏠 Living Expenses
  • Monthly spending
  • Debts & liabilities
  • Housing & mortgage
  • Healthcare & insurance
  • Rental property income
πŸ’° Assets
  • Retirement accounts (401k, IRA, Roth, HSA)
  • Taxable investments & cash
πŸ–οΈ Goals & Benefits
  • Retirement goals & Social Security
  • Pension income
βš™οΈ Strategy & Assumptions
  • Risk tolerance & goals
  • Investment preferences
  • Growth rates
  • Tax & withdrawal strategy
  • Life events

πŸ“Έ Edit Profile: completeness header and Modeling Assumptions

Edit Profile at 100% complete: net worth $2,050,000, retirement age 61, a Modeling Assumptions card noting 4 of 8 inputs are still estimates, and Personal & household and Work Income cards

Sample plan with made-up figures: every section complete, with 4 assumptions still using estimates

Profile Completeness

A completeness percentage (shown in the header) tracks how much of your profile is filled in. Higher completeness means more accurate projections β€” and it unlocks more of the app.

🎯 Aim for 100%
More of the app opens as you go: Analysis and Projections at 60%, Income Planner, Data Health, and Praxion AI at 80%, and the AI Optimizer and Advisor Report at 100%. If you have not confirmed your cash reserves, completeness may hold at 95% until you do. You can also click "See Everything" on the Overview to preview the full plan using estimated defaults.

Life Events

A life event is a future income or expense your standard profile does not cover β€” inheritance, home renovation, tuition, business sale, sabbatical. Optional, but they make your projection noticeably more realistic.

What it is: One-time, recurring, or permanent income/expense items placed on your plan timeline.

Where to find it: Edit Profile β†’ Strategy & Assumptions β†’ Life events card. You can also add one inline from any year of the Financial Journey table, or sweep one in Scenario Studio.

How to use it: Click Add Life Event, then describe it and set the details below. Use Edit, Clone, or Delete to manage the list.

What you set for each event

  • Name β€” a short description (an icon is chosen automatically from keywords)
  • Category β€” Income or Expense
  • Type β€” One-time, Recurring (with a duration in years/months), or Permanent
  • Start age β€” when it begins (defaults to your current age)
  • Amount β€” a one-time total, or an annual amount for recurring/permanent items
  • Annual growth/decline rate β€” to inflate or taper the amount over time (for example, rising tuition)
  • Tax treatment (income only) β€” Tax-free (e.g. gift or inheritance), Ordinary income, or Capital gains
  • Notes β€” optional context for your future self
🧩 How to model major life changes
There is no single "divorce" or "new baby" field β€” instead, break the change into income and expense streams:
  • Divorce: alimony or child support as recurring income/expense (with a duration), plus legal fees as a one-time expense
  • New child: childcare and child-related costs as recurring expenses, then college tuition as a 4-year recurring expense starting at the child's age 18
  • Disability or career change: adjust income at the transition age, plus any insurance payments
  • Relocation or a new business: moving/startup costs as expenses, plus any income changes
πŸ’‘ Tips
Set the correct tax treatment on income events β€” it changes the projection materially. Use a recurring type with a duration for time-bounded costs, the growth rate for items that inflate, and Clone to copy similar events. For very complex scenarios, create a separate profile to compare outcomes.

3. Your Dashboard (Modes & Hero)

The Dashboard is your home base. It adapts to how complete your plan is and how much depth you want.

Three Dashboard Modes

Praxion picks the right mode as your plan progresses β€” Guided during Quick Start, Standard as you refine your profile, and Power once you are ready for the full workspace. You can change it anytime from the mode menu on the Overview.

🧭 Guided
For new and Quick Start plans. A checklist layout (no tab strip) that walks you through confirming your details and improving your plan.
πŸ“Š Standard
A focused view β€” the same tab strip as Power, with a lighter density.
⚑ Power
The same seven tabs β€” Overview, Analysis, Projections, My Plan, Income Planner, Data Health, and AI Optimizer β€” at full density.

The Plan Health Command Center (Overview)

The Overview hero brings your most important signals together on one screen:

  • Financial Health β€” a 0–100 score with a tier (At risk / Fair / Good).
  • Net worth and years to retirement with an on-track status.
  • Retirement goal β€” the savings you need for your target lifestyle.
  • Your Retirement Plan β€” a gauge showing how often your essential spending stays funded across 1,000 simulated markets, with a status (On track, Needs attention, Room to strengthen, or At risk). While the simulations run, it shows a live estimate so far that steadies as more scenarios finish.
  • Outcome range β€” what your savings could be worth at the end of your plan, in today's dollars. Every scenario counts; one that runs out counts as $0.
  • Data Health gauge β€” how confident Praxion is in your numbers (click to see the full tab).
  • Needs Attention rail plus a personalized Intelligence Feed.
  • Run AI Scenario Analysis β€” kicks off an AI Review (see section 8).

πŸ“Έ Dashboard: the Overview

Financial Dashboard Overview: an On track status, Financial Health 85/100, sustainable monthly income $6,637, money lasting beyond age 90, a withdrawals card, the seven-tab strip, and the Needs Your Attention rail

Sample plan with made-up figures: on track, $6,637/mo income, money lasts beyond age 90

4. The Dashboard Tabs

The dashboard shows seven tabs in both Standard and Power mode. Some tabs open as your profile fills in, and the premium tabs prompt guests to create a free account.

πŸ“Έ The seven-tab strip

The seven-tab dashboard strip: Overview (active), Analysis, Projections, My Plan, Income Planner, Data Health, and AI Optimizer

Overview is home. Until your profile is complete, some deeper tabs first ask you to add or confirm a few details.

1. Overview (always available)

Your Plan Health Command Center. Financial Health score, Net Worth, Retirement Goal, the "Your Retirement Plan" gauge, Data Health gauge, Needs Attention rail, and the Intelligence Feed. Also home to the compact Tax & Liquidity summary and the "Run AI Scenario Analysis" button. This is where most sessions start and end.

2. Analysis (opens at 60% complete)

The deep-dive view. Monte Carlo summary, cash-flow summary, the stress boundary ("Cliff's Edge"), AI insights, plus tax-cliff, Social Security taxation, and future-tax-risk cards. Open this when you want the "why" behind your Financial Health score.

3. Projections (opens at 60% complete)

Lifetime numbers at a glance. Earliest retirement age, total retirement spending, lifetime taxes, and RMD impact β€” each card links straight to the underlying chart or table. Best tab for "what will this look like over 30 years?" questions.

4. My Plan (always available)

Your phase-by-phase income vs expenses, a Strategic Blueprint of the moves that matter, and an execution sidebar you can work down.

5. Income Planner (opens at 80%; sign-in required)

A dedicated retirement-income workspace with seven sub-tabs β€” Inputs, Buckets, Waterfall, Strategies, Stress, Sequence, and Monitor. Slide live inputs to test ideas without changing your saved profile until you choose to apply.

πŸ“Έ Income Planner: three buckets structured for years-of-runway coverage

Retirement Income Planner Buckets sub-tab with three buckets: Bucket 1 Cash & liquidity $142,062, Bucket 2 Income & stability $284,124, Bucket 3 Long-term growth $1,698,814, below a sub-tab bar for Inputs, Buckets (active), Waterfall, Strategies, Stress, Sequence, and Monitor

Sample plan with made-up figures: about $142K / $284K / $1.7M across cash, income & stability, and long-term growth

6. Data Health (opens at 80%; sign-in required)

How confident Praxion is in your numbers. Shows the Data Health score, balance reconciliation against your statements, deterministic plan-health signals, a market-shock simulation (βˆ’5% / βˆ’10% / βˆ’20%), AI nudges, and your Balance History. See section 8 for the details.

7. AI Optimizer (opens at 100%; sign-in required)

Praxion's Adaptive Strategy engine. Compares your live portfolio against your plan, simulates market drops, and runs an AI generator/critic loop to suggest changes you can apply or revert β€” with a Strategy Change History and one-click undo. See section 8.

πŸ”“ Unlocking tabs
Until your profile reaches a tab's level, opening it first asks you to add or confirm a few details. The premium tabs (Income Planner, Data Health, AI Optimizer) ask guests to create a free account first. Use "See Everything" on the Overview to preview everything with estimated defaults.

5. Financial Journey (Year-by-Year)

The Financial Journey is the detailed year-by-year projection from today through the end of your plan.

What it is: A full year-by-year table of income, contributions, balances, taxes, withdrawals, and healthcare.

Where to find it: Left sidebar β†’ Financial Journey (route /projection-details).

How to use it: Scroll the years, hover columns for breakdowns, open the Financial Order of Operations on any row, and edit cells to test changes.

What You See Each Year

  • Core: Year, Age, Phase (Working / Retired)
  • Income: Salary, bonus, RSUs, Social Security, pension, rental, dividends, interest
  • Contributions: 401(k), IRA, Roth, HSA with catch-up tracking
  • Balances: Traditional & Roth 401(k), Traditional & Roth IRA, HSA, brokerage, cash
  • Taxes: Federal, state, FICA, Medicare, capital gains, effective rate
  • Withdrawals: By account, RMDs, and Roth conversions
  • Healthcare: Premiums, IRMAA surcharges, out-of-pocket

Financial Order of Operations (FOP)

Click the clipboard icon on any row to open the Financial Order of Operations β€” a deep breakdown of how money flows that year, including:

  • πŸ’° Cash flow: all income sources and how expenses are covered
  • πŸ“Š Tax strategy: federal bracket, effective rate, total taxes, and opportunities
  • πŸ›οΈ Social Security taxation: whether benefits are taxed at 0%, 50%, or 85%, and how to reduce it
  • πŸ”„ Roth conversions: amounts, tax cost, and funding sources
  • πŸ“‹ RMD details: distributions by account and QCD opportunities
  • ⚠️ Sequence-of-returns risk: alerts for the critical first five retirement years

πŸ“Έ Financial Journey with the Financial Order of Operations open

Financial Order of Operations window for 2026 at age 61 (retired), with Year Detail and Timeline View tabs and an annual withdrawal review: plan metrics such as cash runway and withdrawal rate, a spending outlook, and guidance

Sample plan with made-up figures: the 2026 year for a retiree, opened from the year-by-year table

Editable Cells

Many cells are editable β€” click to override a value and see the effect ripple through your plan:

  • Expenses (personal, healthcare)
  • Contribution amounts
  • Roth conversion amounts
  • Account balances
Note
Edits create "overrides" on top of the base projection. An edited cell is marked ⚑; use its delete button to restore the calculated value.
βž• Add a life event in context
You can add a one-time or recurring income/expense directly from any year of this table β€” handy because you see the timeline as you place it. See Life Events for the full details.

6. Action Plan & Analysis

The Action Plan turns your projection into a single, impact-ranked list of moves β€” with a plan-health read at the top and a place to record your own decision and notes on each one.

What it is: Your plan's health plus a prioritized list of modeled moves you can review, decide on, and annotate.

Where to find it: Left sidebar β†’ Action Plan & Analysis (route /action-plan).

How to use it: Read the header, work the moves top-down by modeled impact, mark each Reviewed / Planning to do / Not for me, and open See details for the rationale.

The header: Plan Health + Tax-optimization headroom

  • Plan Health β€” the same 0–100 score shown on your dashboard (whether the plan lasts, in the model). One number, in one place.
  • Tax-optimization headroom β€” a separate, qualitative read (Significant / Moderate / Limited) of how much modeled tax efficiency may still be on the table. It's an opportunity signal, not a safety score.
  • Three factors sit under it β€” IRMAA control, RMD flexibility, and Tax efficiency β€” each linking to the move that addresses it.

The Runway (retirement phases)

A time-spine showing where you are now and how the plan moves through five phases:

  • Pre-retirement: now until retirement β€” maximize savings and tax efficiency
  • Early retirement: bridge years before RMDs β€” often prime Roth-conversion years
  • Mid retirement: settle into the withdrawal plan
  • RMD-active: Required Minimum Distributions begin β€” manage the tax bill
  • Late retirement: preserve wealth; focus on healthcare and longevity

Your next moves

  • Impact-ranked: highest modeled impact first; each card shows the modeled figures behind it.
  • You decide: mark each move Reviewed, Planning to do, or Not for me; a β€œDecided on N of M” tally tracks your progress. It's your own record β€” it never changes the plan's health score.
  • My Notes & Questions: jot notes on any move (optionally tagged for your CPA, spouse, or advisor) and export them.
  • See details: open a card for the full modeled breakdown.

What the moves cover

  • πŸ’° Savings optimization: 401(k), IRA, and catch-up contributions
  • πŸ“Š Tax strategy: Roth conversions, bracket management, tax-loss harvesting
  • πŸ›οΈ Social Security: claiming age and spousal strategies
  • πŸ’Έ Withdrawal strategy: account sequencing and RMD management
  • πŸ₯ Healthcare: Medicare planning, HSA optimization, IRMAA awareness

πŸ“Έ Action Plan: Plan Health, tax-optimization headroom, the Runway, and your next moves

Action Plan & Analysis: Plan Health 85/100, a tax-optimization headroom panel with IRMAA control, RMD flexibility and tax efficiency scores, the Runway of five retirement phases with the current one marked, and the Your next moves heading

Sample plan with made-up figures

7. Praxion AI Assistant

Praxion AI is your built-in AI planning assistant. It can answer questions about your plan, run what-ifs, and walk you through specific decisions β€” grounded in your actual profile.

What it is: A conversational assistant that can analyze your plan, run tools, and give structured decision answers.

Where to find it: The floating "Ask Praxion AI" button (bottom-right on every page) opens the chat drawer. There is also a full-page view at /praxion-ai, and "Improve your plan" cards throughout the app offer "Answer with Praxion AI".

How to use it: Ask a question in plain language, or tap a suggested prompt. Share or export any answer.

πŸ“Έ Praxion AI: the drawer with suggested prompts

Praxion AI drawer open on the right side of the dashboard, with a Try asking list of suggested questions (Am I on track for retirement, What data is missing from my profile, Will I run out of money, Should I do Roth conversions, When should I start Social Security) above a chat box

Opens from the floating 'Ask Praxion AI' button on every page

What Praxion AI Can Do

  • Answer questions about your plan and run what-if scenarios
  • Run Roth, Social Security, and tax optimization analysis on demand
  • Help fill in or update your profile, with deep links to the right Edit Profile section
  • Run Income Planner scenarios from the conversation
  • Give structured decision answers for specific questions β€” for example, a Roth vs Traditional 401(k) split or HSA contribution priority
πŸ”— Share & export
You can share an individual response via a link, or export answers to PDF or Markdown.
Access
Praxion AI prompts guests to create a free account before opening. It works best once your profile is reasonably complete β€” the assistant grounds every answer in your actual numbers.

8. AI & Automation Features

Beyond the chat assistant, Praxion runs several AI-driven features that monitor and improve your plan.

πŸ€– AI Review (Scenario Analysis)

What it is: An on-demand AI review that proposes Roth and strategy edits you can apply with one click.

Where to find it: Overview hero β†’ "Run AI Scenario Analysis".

How to use it: Run it, review the proposed changes in the modal, and apply the ones you want.

✨ Adaptive Strategy

What it is: The engine behind the AI Optimizer tab. Continuously compares your actual portfolio to your plan path, notices drift, and generates AI-vetted rebalancing or tax moves β€” each with a projected impact.

Where to find it: Dashboard β†’ AI Optimizer tab.

How to use it: Review a recommendation, hit Apply (or Revert). The Strategy Change History tracks every accept/revert with one-click undo.

πŸ“Έ AI Optimizer tab: this year's Roth picture, a portfolio check, and a market-drop simulator

AI Optimizer tab: a This tax year Roth dial-in summary (modeled income for tax purposes, bracket room, planned conversion), a Check My Portfolio button, and a market-drop slider from 0% to βˆ’40%

Sample plan with made-up figures on a complete profile in Power mode

πŸ’™ Data Health

What it is: A plan-confidence workspace. Rolls up a Data Health score, balance reconciliation, deterministic plan-health signals, a market-shock simulation, and AI nudges into one tab.

Where to find it: Dashboard β†’ Data Health tab, or the Data Health gauge on the Overview.

How to use it: Review your signals, reconcile balances against your statements, run the βˆ’5% / βˆ’10% / βˆ’20% shock test, and act on AI nudges.

πŸ“Έ Data Health tab: how current your balances are

Data Health tab: a 100% Healthy gauge with balance-freshness bars for each account, and a Balances are current table listing each account's balance and confidence, with an Update balances button

Sample plan with made-up figures: balances just entered, so every account reads 100%

🧾 Balance Reconciliation

What it is: A side-by-side check of your Praxion balances against the statement values you enter. If they diverge, Praxion flags the account so projections do not drift silently.

Where to find it: Data Health tab β†’ Balance Reconciliation row.

How to use it: Enter your latest statement values as they arrive. Praxion marks reconciled accounts green and stale accounts yellow, and lifts your Data Health score as you close gaps.

🎯 Scenario Lab

What it is: The Scenario Lab lets you try changes β€” such as retirement age, Social Security age, spending, or investment mix β€” and see how your Monte Carlo result moves. It opens on your plan's own result right away. The Conservative and Optimistic what-if scenarios build in the background, and the sliders unlock in a few minutes.

Where to find it: Overview: the Open The Scenario Lab button.

How to use it: Open The Scenario Lab, move the sliders once they unlock, then choose "Apply to Base Plan" to keep the changes.

πŸ“Έ Overview: Plan Health Command Center and the way into the Scenario Lab

Plan Health Command Center: the Your Retirement Plan gauge at 100% On track with an outcome range below it and an Open The Scenario Lab button, investable net worth $2.1M, a today / peak / legacy timeline, and Financial Health 85/100

Sample plan with made-up figures: 100% on track, $2.1M investable net worth

πŸ›‘οΈ Plan Stewardship

What it is: Controls how much Praxion automates monitoring and plan improvements.

Where to find it: Settings β†’ Notifications β†’ Plan Stewardship.

How to use it: Choose Auto-Apply (the default: applies modeled Roth updates within guardrails and shows you what changed), Watch & Notify (you approve before anything applies), or Manual Only (you make all changes yourself).

πŸ”” Praxion Alerts

What it is: Your notification inbox: alerts about market drift, IRMAA cliffs, and stale balances, plus plan, Roth, and cash-flow nudges.

Where to find it: The bell icon in the top navigation (visible once you have signed in).

How to use it: Open the bell to review and act on messages as they arrive.

9. Planning Tools

Praxion's tools live in three places: the My Plan group (your core planning surfaces), the Explorers catalog (single-purpose tools you dip into), and the desktop topic dropdowns (Retirement, Investment, Retirement Tax Planning, Insurance, AI Tools).

πŸ–₯️ Desktop vs mobile navigation
On desktop the top navigation shows the topic dropdowns; the My Plan surfaces live on the dashboard and left rail. On mobile, tap the menu to see the collapsible My Plan and Explorers sections listed below.

My Plan

  • Overview β€” your dashboard (/dashboard)
  • Edit Profile β€” your plan inputs (/onboardingv2) β€” appears once you have a profile
  • Financial Journey β€” year-by-year detail (/projection-details)
  • Action Plan & Analysis β€” prioritized recommendations (/action-plan)
  • Advisor Report β€” an exportable long-form report (/report)
  • Charts β€” visual projections of net worth, income, and tax exposure (/charts)
  • Scenario Studio β€” single-variable what-if sweep (/scenario-studio)
Where is Praxion AI in the sidebar?
On desktop, the left sidebar shows Praxion AI as an entry (locked with a small padlock until your profile is far enough along). On mobile, it is not in the My Plan list. Either way, the primary way to open the assistant is the floating "Ask Praxion AI" button on every page (see section 7). There is also a full-page view at /praxion-ai.

Explorers

Explorers is a catalog of focused tools β€” pick one, get one answer, go back to your dashboard. On desktop it is a section of the left sidebar that groups the tools under Core Planning, Tax & Optimization, Stress Tests & Markets, and Lifestyle & Longevity, with a few more under "Advanced tools". On mobile it is an expandable menu section. Some of the tools:

Retirement Number
How much do you need? A target number based on your spending and lifestyle.
Can I Retire?
A quick readiness answer with the assumptions that drove it.
Savings Tracker
Where you are versus where you need to be, year by year.
Asset Allocation
Your current mix and how it compares to a target for your age and risk.
Social Security Strategy
Claiming-age break-even, spousal coordination, and taxation.
Strategy Comparison
Withdrawal methods and optimization modes side-by-side.
Monte Carlo
Up to 1,000 randomized simulations, one success probability.
Scenario Studio
Sweep one input across a range and see what changes.
Stress Test
How your plan handles real crises β€” 2008, 2000, the 1970s.
Historical Market Replay
Replay your plan through a chosen historical period.
Roth Analyzer
Whether and how much to convert Traditional β†’ Roth each year.
Tax Scenario Analysis
Lifetime tax impact of the moves you are considering.
Capital Gains
Gain-harvesting and tax-loss harvesting in one workspace.
Also reachable from dashboard links
RMD Insights (/rmd-insights), Tax & Liquidity Planner (/tax-liquidity-planner), Estate Tracker, Life Expectancy, Withdrawal Guardrails, Spending Trade-offs, Inflation Dashboard, Cash Flow Analysis, and HNW Insights (see section 11) β€” each is a direct route reached from the relevant dashboard card.

πŸ“Έ Mobile menu: My Plan, plus the Explorers and topic dropdowns

Praxion mobile menu open: the My Plan section with Overview, Edit Profile, Financial Journey, Action Plan & Analysis, Advisor Report, Charts, and Scenario Studio, followed by Explorers, Retirement, Investment, and Retirement Tax Planning dropdowns

On mobile, Praxion AI isn't in this list; tap the round sparkle button at the bottom right

🎲 Monte Carlo

Runs up to 1,000 randomized market simulations to estimate the probability your plan succeeds, accounting for market volatility and the order of returns.

Target
An 80%+ success rate is generally considered safe; below 70% suggests adjustments.

The outcome range and the ending-balance chart include every scenario. A scenario that runs out of money counts as $0 and appears in the first bar, labeled "Ran out ($0)".

πŸ“Έ Monte Carlo: your result across 1,000 simulated markets

Monte Carlo page in today's dollars: section tabs (Overview, Snapshot, Success, Distribution, Failure, Suggestions, Risk, Assumptions), a 100% On Track result across 1,000 simulated paths, and the start of the outcome-range snapshot

Sample plan with made-up figures

βš–οΈ Strategy Comparison

Compare withdrawal strategies side by side to see how each one plays out for your plan.

  • Methods (how much to withdraw): Expense-Based, Fixed Percentage (4% of Tax-Deferred), Manual (Fixed Amount), Guardrails, Hybrid, Phased Spending, and RMD Spending (Divisor Pace)
  • Modes (which accounts to tap first): Static (Configured Bucket Order), AI Tax-Optimized (Adaptive), and Policy Engine (Constraint-Driven)
  • Compared on: lifetime taxes, Roth (tax-free) and traditional (taxable) balances, total assets, after-tax wealth, success rate, and years covered
πŸ’‘ Pro tip
The AI Tax-Optimized mode can differ more from Static when Roth conversions are turned on in your profile.

πŸ“Š Advisor Report

What it is: A long-form, narrated report β€” the version you would hand to an advisor or spouse. Sections cover strategy, taxes, projections, risks, and next steps.

Where to find it: My Plan β†’ Advisor Report (route /report).

How to use it: Generate the report and review it in the browser, then use Print / Save PDF to keep a copy. Requires 100% completeness and a free account.

10. Scenario Studio

Scenario Studio is where you pressure-test your plan. Pick a preset question, get a plain-English answer, or configure your own custom sweep β€” nothing you do here changes your saved profile until you decide to apply it.

What it is: A dedicated workspace for pre-configured scenario templates, decision cards, and custom variable sweeps.

Where to find it: Left sidebar β†’ Scenario Studio (route /scenario-studio).

How to use it: Start with a template (fastest), review the decision card, or switch to Advanced for a custom sweep.

Three Modes

🧭 Explore
Preset templates for common retirement questions β€” with a plain-English decision card as the answer.
πŸ—‚ Compare
Put up to three saved scenarios side by side with your baseline.
βš™οΈ Advanced
Build your own single-variable sweep, 2-variable grid, or run the Optimize solver for a target metric.

Quick Start Templates

The Explore tab opens with a grid of preset templates β€” each answers one common retirement question with pre-configured assumptions. Filter chips (All Templates Β· Retirement Β· Savings Β· Tax Β· Stress test Β· Legacy) narrow the grid. Recent templates include:

  • When Should I Retire? β€” compare modeled retirement ages and their trade-offs in wealth, taxes, and lifestyle
  • How Much Should I Save? β€” sweep 401(k) contribution levels to see the outcome band
  • Stress Test: 2032 SS Cut β€” stress-test a potential benefits cut
  • Inflation & Policy Drag β€” SS COLA lag + healthcare inflation vs CPI

πŸ“Έ Scenario Studio: Quick Start Templates grid

Scenario Studio Explore tab on Quick Start Templates, with filter chips (All Templates, Retirement, Savings, Tax, Stress test, Legacy) and the When Should I Retire? and How Much Should I Save? template cards

Sample plan with made-up figures: the Explore tab opens on Quick Start. Templates that don't fit the plan say why.

Decision Cards & Plain Language

Each preset returns a decision card β€” a plain-English headline answer, the supporting scenarios that formed it, and a next-step CTA. The card is written for the reader, not the model.

πŸ“Έ Scenario Studio: a decision card in plain language

Scenario Studio Social Security Cut 2032 stress test: a headline reading A 21% Social Security cut in 2032 lowers your modeled income by about $12.9k a year, with income-gap and lifetime-difference figures, Full Benefits and Partial Fix scenarios, and a Model the recovery button

Sample plan with made-up figures: the 2032 Social Security cut template shows the dollar impact and a next step

πŸ” Model the recovery
Most decision cards end with a next-step button that turns the finding into a new scenario β€” e.g., after the SS-cut result you can jump straight into a plan-adjustment sweep instead of starting from scratch.

Advanced Mode: Custom Sweeps

Power users can go straight to Advanced for finer control:

  • Custom Analysis β€” sweep any single input (retirement age, savings rate, SS timing, Roth conversion amount) across a range you define, with step size and life-event overlays
  • 2-Variable β€” cross two inputs (e.g., retirement age Γ— savings rate) into a grid you can eyeball
  • Optimize β€” pick a target metric (such as total assets, total taxes, or net income) and let Praxion search the input space

Saving & Comparing Runs

Any run can be saved with a name. The Compare tab then puts up to three saved scenarios next to your baseline across brokerage balance, lifetime taxes paid, net worth, total withdrawn, and Roth balance.

Note
Scenario Studio runs are non-destructive β€” the base projection stays untouched until you explicitly choose to apply a scenario to your plan. Use it as a sandbox.

11. Tax Optimization Suite

πŸ”„ Roth Analyzer

Determines whether and how much to convert from Traditional to Roth each year, considering:

  • Current versus future tax brackets
  • Years until retirement and RMD reduction benefits
  • IRMAA (Medicare surcharge) implications
  • Legacy and estate goals

Medicare premium limit. On the dashboard Roth card, choose Set premium limit to decide how far conversions may raise your Medicare premiums: Avoid higher premiums, Allow up to a set level, or Standard (no set limit β€” higher premiums count as a cost). Your recommendation and projections update; nothing changes in your accounts unless you choose to act.

A different goal. Where another planning goal would change the conversion plan, the Roth card and the Tax hub's Review tab show what you'd gain and give up under that goal β€” estimates in today's dollars, compared with making no conversions. Change my goal… asks you to confirm before anything changes, and you can change your goal back anytime.

πŸ’Ή Tax Optimization

Lifetime tax scenario analysis across income timing, deductions, credits, and state considerations.

πŸ“ˆ Capital Gains & Tax-Loss Harvesting

One tool covers both: strategically realizing gains in low-income years to reset cost basis, and offsetting gains with losses in taxable accounts. (Tax-loss harvesting lives inside the Capital Gains tool.)

πŸ“‹ RMD Insights

Required Minimum Distribution planning β€” projected RMDs, their tax impact, QCD opportunities, and ways to reduce future RMDs. Reachable from dashboard links at /rmd-insights.

πŸ’Ž HNW Insights (High-Net-Worth)

What it is: A workspace that gathers six planning views in one place: a Retirement Inflation Dashboard, an Estate Readiness Tracker for your estate documents, a Spending Trade-off Simulator, a Risk Alignment Alert, Enhanced Life Expectancy, and a Withdrawal Guardrail Dashboard.

Where to find it: Route /hnw-insights, reached from links on the dashboard.

How to use it: Open the view you need.

12. Profiles & Scenarios

Profiles vs Scenarios

A Profile is a complete, independent plan. A Scenario is a what-if variation within a single profile that shares the same base data.

Β ProfilesScenarios
PurposeCompletely different plansVariations of the same plan
DataIndependent data setsShared base, modified assumptions
Use caseMajor life decisionsStrategy optimization

Scenario Studio

For the full walkthrough of scenario templates, decision cards, comparisons, and custom sweeps, see Section 10 β€” Scenario Studio. In short: it is the sandbox where you test what-ifs (Social Security claiming age, Roth conversion amount, life events) without changing your saved plan.

13. How We Calculate

Year-by-Year Methodology

For each year through the end of your plan, Praxion:

  1. Adds up income (salary, bonuses, Social Security, pensions, dividends, rental)
  2. Applies contributions (401(k), IRA, Roth, HSA) with employer match and catch-ups
  3. Inflates expenses, healthcare, and any life events
  4. Determines withdrawals to cover the gap
  5. Calculates federal, state, and payroll (FICA) taxes plus capital gains
  6. Applies RMDs starting at age 73 (SECURE 2.0)
  7. Runs any enabled Roth conversions within your constraints
  8. Grows remaining balances and carries forward

Tax Calculations

  • Federal: the progressive brackets (10 / 12 / 22 / 24 / 32 / 35 / 37%)
  • State: state-specific brackets or flat rates for all 50 states
  • FICA (payroll): Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500 + Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200K)
  • Capital gains: 0 / 15 / 20% by income level
  • NIIT (Net Investment Income Tax): 3.8% on investment income above thresholds
  • Social Security taxation: 0 / 50 / 85% of your benefits taxable, based on combined income

Monte Carlo Methodology

  1. Up to 1,000 independent simulations per run
  2. Each uses randomized returns built around forward-looking estimates for stocks, bonds, and cash (~18% stock volatility), net of fund fees
  3. Returns flow through your full projection with all tax and withdrawal logic applied
  4. The headline percentage counts the scenarios where your essential spending stays funded every year; a separate "Portfolio lasts" figure counts scenarios that end with money left

14. Data Sources & IRS Limits

2026 IRS Limits (Current Year)

LimitUnder 5050+ (w/ Catch-up)
401(k) Contribution1$24,500$32,500 (+$8,000)
401(k) Super Catch-up (60-63)1,2β€”$35,750 (+$11,250)
IRA Contribution1$7,500$8,600 (+$1,100)
HSA (Individual)3$4,400$5,400 (+$1,000)
HSA (Family)3$8,750$9,750 (+$1,000)
Social Security Wage Base4$184,500

1 IRS Notice 2025-67 (Retirement Plan Limits for 2026)
2 SECURE 2.0 Act enhanced catch-up contribution for ages 60-63
3 IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-25 (HSA Limits for 2026)
4 Social Security Administration announcement (October 2025)

Data Sources

  • IRS Notice 2025-67: 2026 retirement plan contribution limits
  • IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32: 2026 tax bracket inflation adjustments
  • IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-25: 2026 HSA limits
  • IRS Publication 590-B: IRA contribution and RMD rules
  • SSA.gov: Social Security wage base and benefit formulas
  • CMS Medicare Announcement: 2026 Part B/D premiums and IRMAA thresholds
  • State Tax Authorities: state-specific tax brackets
πŸ“… Annual updates
We update IRS limits, tax brackets, and Medicare thresholds each January when official numbers are released. Current values reflect the 2026 tax year.

15. Tips, FAQ & Glossary

For Accurate Projections

  • Use actual balances from your statements, not estimates
  • Include all income β€” Social Security, pensions, rental, part-time work
  • Plan for healthcare β€” costs typically rise in retirement
  • Update annually, ideally after tax season
  • Reach 100% completeness to unlock the full plan and reports

Optimization Tips

  • βœ… Max your employer 401(k) match first β€” it is free money
  • βœ… Consider Roth conversions in low-income years (early retirement, before RMDs)
  • βœ… Coordinate Social Security claiming as a couple
  • βœ… Use the HSA as a stealth retirement account (triple tax advantage)
  • βœ… Run scenarios before any major decision

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Praxion Finance really free?

Yes β€” core features are free with no credit card required. Some premium areas may require a free account.

What is the difference between Quick Start and Edit Profile?

Quick Start is a short guided wizard that gets you to a working plan fast. Edit Profile is the full card dashboard where you refine every detail. You can move between them anytime.

What are Guided, Standard, and Power modes?

They control how dense the dashboard is. Guided is a checklist for new plans; Standard and Power both show the seven tabs (Overview, Analysis, Projections, My Plan, Income Planner, Data Health, AI Optimizer), Power at full density. Which tabs are open depends on how complete your profile is, not on the mode. Praxion picks the mode based on your progress; change it from the Overview mode menu.

What is Praxion AI and is my data used to train it?

Praxion AI is an assistant that answers questions and runs analysis using your profile. It helps you plan; it does not connect to your real financial accounts. Always review AI output and consult a professional for major decisions.

Why are some tabs or the Advisor Report locked?

My Plan, AI Optimizer, and the Advisor Report unlock at 100% profile completeness. Premium tabs ask guests to create a free account. Use "See Everything" to preview with estimated defaults.

How accurate are the projections?

Calculations follow standard planning methodology, but accuracy depends on your inputs and markets are unpredictable. Use Monte Carlo for probability-based analysis, and treat results as educational, not advice.

Is my data secure? Will Praxion sell my email?

Your plan lives in your own account and is never sold, shared, or used to train third-party AI. Praxion uses standard encryption in transit and at rest. See our Privacy Policy for the specifics. If you close your account, your data is removed.

Can I export my plan or share it?

Yes. Any Praxion AI answer exports to PDF or Markdown. The Advisor Report (My Plan β†’ Advisor Report) can be printed or saved as a PDF β€” the version you would hand to a spouse or an advisor. Individual Praxion AI answers also have per-response share links.

Can I use Praxion without any AI features?

Praxion's projections and tax math work without the AI: you can ignore the floating "Ask Praxion AI" button entirely. To clear what Praxion AI remembers from your chats, go to Settings β†’ Data & personalization and choose Delete AI conversation memory. Setting Experience mode to Private turns off analytics and personalization. To stop automatic plan updates, set Plan Stewardship (Settings β†’ Notifications) to Manual Only.

How do I close my account?

Go to Settings β†’ Account and choose Delete Account. Your profile, scenarios, chat history, and alerts are removed. If you want to keep a copy, export an Advisor Report first.

Glossary

Financial Health
A 0–100 score summarizing your plan across cash flow, withdrawals, tax efficiency, longevity, and market risk.
Data Health
Praxion's confidence read of your plan β€” reconciliation, plan-health signals, a shock test, and AI nudges.
Plan of Record
Your officially-tracked plan. Praxion runs it through 1,000 Monte Carlo simulations and shows the result on the "Your Retirement Plan" gauge.
Adaptive Strategy
The AI engine behind the AI Optimizer tab. Watches your live portfolio against your plan, proposes rebalancing or tax moves, and lets you apply or revert each one.
Praxion Alerts
Your notification inbox (bell icon in the top nav) β€” plan nudges, market drift alerts, IRMAA and tax deadlines.
Monte Carlo
A simulation of up to 1,000 randomized markets to estimate your success rate.
RMD
Required Minimum Distribution β€” mandatory withdrawals from Traditional accounts starting at age 73.
IRMAA
Income-related Monthly Adjustment Amount β€” Medicare surcharges that raise premiums above certain income thresholds.
MAGI
Modified Adjusted Gross Income β€” the income measure IRMAA, Roth eligibility, and premium tax credits are calculated against.
Roth Conversion
Moving money from Traditional to Roth, paying tax now to grow tax-free later.
FOP
Financial Order of Operations β€” the per-year breakdown of how money flows.
QCD
Qualified Charitable Distribution β€” donating RMDs directly to charity to reduce taxable income.
Sequence-of-Returns Risk
The danger of poor market returns early in retirement, when withdrawals do the most damage.
PIA
Primary Insurance Amount β€” the Social Security benefit you would receive at Full Retirement Age.
FRA
Full Retirement Age β€” the Social Security age (66–67 depending on birth year) at which you receive 100% of your PIA.
FICA
Federal Insurance Contributions Act β€” the payroll tax (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) deducted from your paycheck.
NIIT
Net Investment Income Tax β€” a 3.8% surtax on investment income above IRS thresholds.
SECURE 2.0
The 2022 retirement law that pushed RMD age to 73, added the age-60–63 super catch-up, and expanded Roth options.

πŸ“ About This Guide

Content authored and reviewed by Praxion Finance LLC, with AI assistance. Dashboard screenshots come from a sample plan with made-up figures; older images are illustrative examples. Praxion is educational and not personalized financial advice. Please consult a qualified professional for major decisions.

Last updated: October 2026 β€’ Β© 2026 Praxion Finance LLC

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