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Net Worth Navigator

Balance Updates & Start Year

A common point of confusion is how the model handles balance data that’s newer than your configured start year. This page explains the relationship and how the system keeps things aligned automatically.

How Balance Data and Start Year Interact

Section titled “How Balance Data and Start Year Interact”

The model always starts its projection at your scenario’s configured start_year and uses your balance data as the starting point at that year.

When you import or enter balance data that is newer than your start_year, the system now auto-adjusts: it clamps start_year forward to match the year of your latest balance data.

start_year: 2026
CSV imported with latest data from: 2027
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ System auto-clamps start_year:          │
│   2026 → 2027                           │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

This means: if you’ve been running NWN since 2026 and in 2027 you import a fresh CSV or enter new manual balances, the projection starts at 2027 — using your actual current balances as the year-0 starting point. You never need to manually bump start_year.

What This Means Per Data Source

Section titled “What This Means Per Data Source”
  • Manual Entry: Enter your latest balances. The system uses them at start_year. If your data is from a later year, start_year clamps to match.
  • CSV Import: The Date column in the CSV picks the latest snapshot per account. If that date is later than start_year, the system auto-adjusts.
  • Monarch Sync: Live-fetched (or cached) balances are used at start_year. The fetch date determines the as-of year for clamping.

Updating Balances Over Time

Section titled “Updating Balances Over Time”

You don’t need to rebuild your scenario from scratch each time you update balances. Simply:

  • Update your balances (via Manual Entry, CSV re-import, or Monarch sync)
  • Re-render the projection
  • The system uses the new balances and adjusts start_year if needed

Your scenario’s original start_year in the TOML file is not changed — the clamping happens at render time only. If you want to keep your original start year for a historical comparison, that scenario configuration is preserved.

Historical Snapshots

Section titled “Historical Snapshots”

The model does not store a history of balance snapshots. Each run starts from whatever balances you provide at that moment. If you want to see how your net worth evolved from a past starting point, keep the original scenario (with original balances and start year) and create a copy for forward-looking projections.