Financial Cushion Calculator | Emergency Fund Planning — Markus Williams Jr.

Strategy Center

Financial Cushion
Calculator

Calculate your recommended emergency fund based on your expenses, income stability, life stage, and household structure. See exactly where you stand today, how long it takes to get there, and where to keep your money once you do.

Progress 0 of 4 complete

01 Your Situation

✓ Complete ▾

Essential Monthly Expenses ($)

Essentials only — rent, utilities, food, insurance, minimum debt payments

Current Emergency Savings ($)

Cash savings only — not retirement accounts or brokerage

Approximate Age

Are You a Homeowner?

Renter Homeowner

02 Income & Household

✓ Complete ▾

Income Stability

Highly Predictable

Salary, government/public sector, tenured position — income is consistent and unlikely to stop suddenly

Moderately Predictable

W-2 with variable bonus, commission-based, contract/temp worker, or part-time — income is generally stable but with some variability

Variable / Self-Directed

Freelancer, self-employed, 1099, gig work, seasonal, or business owner — income can stop entirely for weeks or months

Household Income Structure

Dual Income

Two earners in the household — if one loses work, the other's income provides a partial safety net

Single Income

One earner — job loss means 100% of household income stops immediately

03 Planned Expenses Optional

✓ Added ▾

Sinking fund vs emergency fund — an important distinction. Known upcoming expenses (car repair, medical procedure, home improvement) are planned costs. They belong in a sinking fund — a separate savings bucket for known future expenses — not your emergency fund, which is for truly unexpected events. We'll show both targets separately.

Sinking Fund Need (12 months) Optional

Car, medical, home repair, travel — planned and known

Current Sinking Fund Savings Optional

04 Your Savings Plan

✓ Complete ▾

Monthly Amount You Can Add ($)

Current Savings Account Rate (%) Optional

Current HYSA rates: ~4–5% · Traditional savings: ~0.5%

Your Financial Cushion Plan Guideline estimate · Not personalized financial advice

Emergency Fund Target

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Currently Saved

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Gap to Close

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Coverage Today

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months of expenses covered

Progress Toward Emergency Fund Target

Your Savings Buckets — Separated

Time to Reach Your Targets

Where to Keep Your Emergency Fund

This tool provides a hypothetical, educational estimate only. Suggested ranges are general guidelines and may not reflect your specific circumstances. This calculator does not account for taxes, inflation, interest earned on cash, insurance terms, or individual risk factors that may affect the appropriate reserve amount.

The distinction between emergency funds and sinking funds is presented for educational purposes. Actual savings strategies should be aligned with your full financial plan, cash flow, debt obligations, and goals.

Advisory services and securities offered through Lincoln Investment, Registered Investment Adviser, Broker-Dealer, Member FINRA / SIPC. lincolninvestment.com

Financial CushionCalculator

MARKUSWILLIAMSJR.COM

Financial Cushion
Calculator