Advance Guide· editorial reference

Personal-finance literacy reference

Real money math,
computed locally.

Eight money-math concepts, a four-mode calculator, a six-step decision walk, and eight editorial notes. Drag the slider on the right — that's the same APR formula you'll see inside the app.

Live preview · APR mode tight — high effective rate
261.0% effective rate
a flat $20 fee on $200 over 14 days
$20
14d
effective = (20 / 200) × (365 / 14) × 100

8 concepts

The library, in plain English.

Each card is one money-math idea — a definition, a formula sigil, and a worked illustration. Inside the app you tap one and read it.

1

Compound Interest

Interest that earns interest. The same rate compounded more often grows a balance faster.

A = P(1 + r/n)^(n·t)
2

APR vs APY

APR is the stated yearly rate; APY folds compounding in. APY is always ≥ APR.

APY = (1 + APR/n)^n − 1
3

Credit Score Components

A FICO-style score is a weighted blend of payment history, utilization, length, mix, and new accounts.

Pay 35 / Use 30 / Age 15 / Mix 10 / New 10
4

Debt-to-Income Ratio

The share of pre-tax monthly income that goes to required debt payments. Lower is healthier.

DTI = monthly_debt / gross_income
5

Emergency Fund Sizing

Three to six months of essential expenses, held in a liquid savings vehicle.

Fund = essentials × months
6

Real Return vs Inflation

Real return is the nominal rate adjusted for inflation. A 6% nominal at 4% inflation ≈ 1.92% real.

real = (1+nom)/(1+inf) − 1
7

Marginal vs Effective Tax Rate

Marginal is the rate on the next dollar; effective is the average across all dollars earned.

effective = tax / income
8

Fee + Rate Cost-Shape

How a flat fee plus a daily rate combine into one comparable effective rate.

(fee/P) × (365/days) × 100

Four tabs

Built around the four moves.

The app keeps every action in one of four places — no marketing pages, no hidden settings buried in flows.

01

Money Library

The 8 concept cards above, with category chips, alphabetical / by-depth sort, and a "Try in Math Bench" button on every card.

REFERENCE_BROWSER
02

Math Bench

Four real calculator modes — APR, APY, Payoff months, Utilization — with live formulas and readiness bands. Each input changes a visible result.

ESTIMATOR
03

Move Map

A six-step decision walk: focus area → horizon → tried-the-bench-yet → weak concept → confidence → final move. End on a banded recommendation.

DECISION_TREE
04

Field Notes

Eight short editorial articles. Each ends with a one-tap apply chip that opens the matching Math Bench mode or revisits a concept.

GUIDE_ARTICLE
0
concepts
in Library
0
calc modes
in Math Bench
0
decision steps
in Move Map
0
articles
in Field Notes

Local-only

Nothing leaves the device.

The app does not ask for an account, a permission, or a payment. Every number you see is computed on your phone from inputs you typed yourself.

Educational reference. Advance Guide teaches money math; it does not provide financial advice, lending, brokerage, or any service connected to an actual financial product. Numbers shown are computed locally from the inputs you provide and do not represent any product offer.

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On iPhone, today.

Free. No subscription. No in-app purchase. iOS 17 or newer.

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