About the Monte Carlo simulation

The capstone runs your plan 1,000 times (5,000 for the report) with random yearly returns for each account:

• centered so the typical year matches the growth rate you chose
• with swings set by each account's mix (cash, conservative, balanced, growth or aggressive)
• with similar mixes moving together, as markets do

Inflation stays steady. The same plan always gives the same results, so you can compare changes fairly. Results show a range, not a prediction: if your growth rates are optimistic, every simulated future is too.