How to Use the Calculator
A step-by-step guide to inputs, outputs, and how to interpret results.
This page explains how to use the US Kill Line calculator in a transparent way. The goal is not to predict your future, but to help you stress-test your budget runway under common shocks.
What the calculator outputs
The calculator focuses on two practical outputs:
- Runway (days): how many days you can keep paying essential obligations if a shock hits.
- Pressure score: a simple signal summarizing how tight the budget is under the selected scenario.
These are informational signals, not advice.
Inputs (what to enter)
1) Household size
AdultsandChildrenare used for cost assumptions and “essentials” scaling.- If you are unsure, start with your current household.
2) Income (annual)
Enter your take-home income if possible (what actually hits your bank account). If you only know gross income, start there and adjust later.
3) Liquid assets
This should include:
- cash
- checking/savings
- money you can access quickly without penalties
Avoid counting:
- retirement accounts with penalties
- home equity (hard to turn into cash fast)
4) Fixed monthly costs
Include obligations that are difficult to cut quickly:
- housing (rent/mortgage)
- utilities baseline
- insurance premiums
- childcare baseline
- subscriptions you truly can’t cancel immediately (be strict)
5) Monthly debt payments
Use the minimum required payments across:
- credit cards
- auto loans
- student loans
- personal loans
Debt service is a common hidden driver of fragility when rates rise.
6) Healthcare plan + deductible
If you don’t know your plan type, pick the closest option. Deductible is used to model how medical shocks can become cash-flow shocks.
Scenarios (how to stress-test)
The calculator lets you stress-test common shocks:
- Unemployment: income stops for N months.
- Medical bill: a large out-of-pocket expense hits.
- Rent shock: rent increases for N months.
- Combo: a combined shock (more realistic, also harsher).
Start with “Combo” if you want a conservative view.
Interpreting results (avoid common mistakes)
Don’t over-interpret small differences
If your runway changes by a few days, that’s within normal noise. Focus on large changes (weeks/months).
Use it to find leverage points
The highest leverage usually comes from:
- reducing fixed monthly costs
- lowering debt service
- building liquid buffer
Share a scenario link
You can share a scenario by using URL query parameters. Example:
/calculator?income=90000&assets=15000&fixed=4200&debt=600&scenario=combo
This makes the calculator useful for “case study” pages and educational walkthroughs.
Disclaimer
US Kill Line is informational and not financial, legal, medical, or investment advice.