When you enter a lump sum contribution at a particular age, GoalsMapper treats that contribution as happening during that planning year.
For example, if you enter a lump sum investment contribution at age 30, the investment is not shown as an available balance at the start of age 30. This is why the value may appear as $0 for age 30, and the contribution and investment growth will be reflected from age 31 onwards.
This approach is used to keep the projection consistent with how GoalsMapper handles cashflow and liquidation.
In GoalsMapper, investment values are generally shown based on the value available at the start of the year. If an investment is liquidated at age 30, the system assumes the liquidation happens at the start of age 30. Since the contribution has not yet been made at that point, the investment value available for liquidation is $0. The related contribution expenses will also stop from that year onwards.
This avoids overstating the investment value by treating the same contribution as both newly contributed and already available for liquidation in the same year.
In simple terms:
- Age 30 shows the position at the start of the year.
- The lump sum contribution is made during age 30.
- The investment value and returns are reflected from age 31 onwards.
This timing convention helps ensure that contributions, withdrawals, liquidation, and projected returns are applied consistently throughout the scenario.