How to enter monthly amounts in Boldin
The key: one entry, paid every month up to the stop month
A monthly amount is paid every month from your start month up to, but not including, your stop month. For a full year, set the stop to January of the following year. Enter what you receive or spend in a typical month, and Boldin repeats it for you.
Start Jan 2027, stop Jan 2028 = 12 payments (Jan through Dec 2027)
Start Jul 2027, stop Jan 2028 = 6 payments (Jul through Dec 2027)
Start Dec 2027, stop Dec 2027 = 1 payment. When the start and stop are the same month, Boldin pays once in that month.
Unlike annual amounts, you don't need a separate entry for each year. One entry covers the whole date range.
GOOD TO KNOW Income, pensions, and expenses are all entered as monthly amounts. The only way to enter a quarterly or yearly amount is to choose Quarterly or Annually in the Detailed Budgeter. For bonuses and other once-a-year payments, see How to enter annual amounts in Boldin. |
Where in Boldin | How the amount is entered |
Income > Work | Monthly pre-tax income |
Income > Pensions and Annuities | Monthly pre-tax income |
Income > Social Security | Monthly benefit |
Expenses | Monthly spending |
Debts | Monthly payment |
Entering a monthly expense
Use this for anything you pay regularly, like groceries, utilities, or a subscription. Enter expenses in today's dollars. Boldin applies inflation for you.
Enter it with Boldin AI
COPY THIS PROMPT INTO BOLDIN AI Please add these monthly expenses to my plan. For each one, use the name, monthly amount in today's dollars, and start and stop dates below. Before saving, show me all the entries. [Name] – $[amount]/month – [Month year] to [Month year] [Name] – $[amount]/month – [Month year] to [Month year] |
Enter it yourself
Go to My Plan > Expenses and open the Detailed Budgeter.
Add an expense and give it a name.
Set the frequency to Monthly.
Enter the amount you spend in a typical month.
Set the Start and Stop dates.
Press Save.
TIP Know the amount by the year instead? Divide by 12. A $24,000 yearly property tax bill is $2,000 a month. Or choose Annually in the Detailed Budgeter and Boldin divides it for you. |
Entering a monthly amount that changes
When a monthly amount goes up or down on a known date, use back-to-back entries instead of one. For example, if your spending drops by $1,800 a month when childcare ends in May 2031:
Entry 1: $7,500/month, start Jan 2027, stop May 2031 (last payment in April)
Entry 2: $5,700/month, start May 2031, stop at your longevity age
Start the second entry in the same month the first one stops. Since the stop month isn't paid, the two entries line up with no overlap. If they overlap, you'll pay both amounts that month. If there's a gap, you'll pay nothing.
COPY THIS PROMPT INTO BOLDIN AI Please update my [expense name] so it's $[amount]/month from [Month year] until [Month year], then $[new amount]/month from [Month year] until my longevity age. Start the new amount in the same month the old one stops so there's no overlap or gap. Show me the entries before saving. |
Entering a pension or annuity benefit
Enter the monthly pre-tax amount from your benefit statement.
Go to My Plan > Income > Pensions and press Add a pension.
Choose Monthly Pension and give it a name.
Enter your monthly pre-tax benefit and the age or date payments begin.
Enter a COLA if your benefit has a cost-of-living adjustment.
Press Save.
For a one-time payout, choose Lump Sum instead. See How to enter annual amounts in Boldin.
Common mistakes to avoid
Entering a yearly amount in a monthly field. A $102,000 salary entered as $102,000 a month overstates your income 12 times over. If your plan suddenly looks much better or worse than expected, check this first.
Choosing Annually for a monthly expense. In the Detailed Budgeter, $500 set to Annually becomes about $42 a month.
Stopping in December for a full year. Start Jan 2027 and stop Dec 2027 gives you 11 payments, not 12. Stop in January 2028 instead.
KNOWN LIMITATION In the Detailed Budgeter, Annually amounts are always divided by 12. A $50,000 Annually expense with a one-month date range only counts as $4,167. To put the full amount in one month, choose Monthly and set the start and stop to the same month. |
Check your work
After you save, open Insights > Income and Expenses and look at the years you entered. A full year of a monthly amount should equal 12 times the amount, for example $2,000 a month shows as $24,000. If a full year shows 11 times the amount, move the stop date one month later. Partial years, like the year you retire, will show less. If a number is 12 times higher or lower than you expect, the amount was probably entered in the wrong kind of field.
COPY THIS PROMPT INTO BOLDIN AI Review my income and expenses and flag any amounts that look like yearly figures entered as monthly amounts, or quarterly or annual budget items that should be monthly. |
Still have questions?
Ask Boldin AI.
Use Support Chat by clicking your initials in the upper right corner of your plan.
Consider a coaching session or a Discovery Session with Boldin Advisors.