Help Centre/Tutorials/How to use the cashflow chart

How to use the cashflow chart

2 min read

Summary

The Cashflow tab shows a year-by-year breakdown of retirement income and spending.
Basic view shows stacked income bars against a spending line; In-Depth breaks it down per account with tax and fees included.
Spending Phases let you model spending that changes over time rather than staying flat.

Steps

1. Open the Cashflow tab to see a year-by-year breakdown of your retirement income and spending.

2. In Basic view, coloured stacked bars show each income source (state pension, private pension, ISA, etc.). A spending line overlays the bars — if bars reach the line, you're fully funded that year.

3. Switch to In-Depth view for a per-account breakdown — income sources above the axis and spending, tax, and fees as negative bars below.

4. Use Spending Phases below the chart to model how your spending changes — e.g. higher spending in early retirement, then lower in later years.

Example scenarios

"Am I fully funded every year, or just on average?"

Switch to Basic view and scan for any year where the stacked bars fall short of the spending line. A shortfall in a single year is easy to miss when looking only at the headline probability-of-success number — the year-by-year view catches it directly.

"I spend more in the first years of retirement — can I model that?"

Add a Spending Phase below the chart covering, say, ages 65-75 at a higher amount, then a second phase from 75 onward at a lower amount. The cashflow chart reflects the change immediately, rather than assuming flat spending for the whole plan.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between Basic and In-Depth view?

Basic shows coloured stacked bars for each income source with a spending-need line overlaid. In-Depth breaks it down per account, with income above the axis and spending, tax, and fees as negative bars below.

What are Spending Phases?

A way to model how your spending changes over time — for example, higher spending in early active retirement, then lower spending in later years. They sit below the cashflow chart.