Understand compounding and dividends

Define the return first

Total return including dividends differs from price appreciation. Adding dividends to total return counts the same benefit twice. ToffeeLab separates the two modes and rejects an extra dividend yield in total-return mode.

12% per year is not 1% per month

Convert an effective annual return using the twelfth root, rather than dividing by twelve. A 1% monthly return compounded twelve times produces about 12.68% over a year.

Contribution and payout timing

A beginning-of-period contribution is exposed to that period’s return sooner than an end-of-period contribution. Separate-dividend mode assumes monthly payouts. Unreinvested dividends accumulate separately as cash earning no interest.

Compare equal conditions

Match principal, duration, contribution amount, frequency, timing, and currency before changing returns or reinvestment. Comparing differently labelled currencies does not account for exchange rates.

Keep your own backup

JSON contains inputs only. Import validates file size, version, and ranges, then shows a preview. Current work is replaced only after confirmation, and results are recalculated with the current calculation version.