Do I need a website to use AdvisorCal?

No. Every calculator comes with its own branded landing page that you can share as a standalone link. on social media, in emails, or in ads. If you do have a website, you can also embed any calculator with a single iframe tag. Works with WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, or any site builder.

Will my clients see the AdvisorCal brand anywhere?

No. Every page displays your logo, your colors, your company name, and your headshot. Your clients and prospects will only see your brand. AdvisorCal is never visible to them.

What are the advisor tools and how are they different from the calculators?

The 28 calculators are client-facing tools you embed on your website to capture leads. The 16 advisor planning tools are tax-aware analysis tools you run during client meetings. Roth conversion analysis, tax projections, inherited IRA modeling, legacy planning, and more. Each one generates two deliverables: a multi-page branded PDF report for the meeting AND a persistent household page online that the client can revisit between meetings.

Which advisor tools are included?

Your subscription includes all 16 advisor planning tools: Roth Conversion Pro, Tax Burden Analysis, Tax Projection Advisor, Tax Analyzer, Tax-Efficient Withdrawals, Backdoor Roth Advisor, Annuity Income Analyzer, QCD Optimizer, NUA Strategy Advisor, Legacy Optimizer, Inherited IRA Optimizer, Housing Decision, FERS Pension Estimator, TSP Withdrawal Planner, FEHB & Medicare Coordination, and Federal Benefits Gap Analysis. Each tool generates detailed results with charts and branded PDF reports.

Are the calculators and advisor tools compliant?

All tools use hedged language like 'estimate' and 'may'. never promissory language. You can set custom compliance disclaimers globally, per calculator, and per advisor tool. Disclaimers appear on every PDF report. The tools provide educational estimates, not financial advice.

How current is the data in the calculators?

All calculators and advisor tools use the latest IRS tax brackets, SSA benefit tables, CMS Medicare/IRMAA thresholds, and contribution limits. Data is updated when new figures are released so your clients always get accurate results.

What exactly do I get when a lead comes in?

You get their first name, last name, email, phone number, the name of the calculator they used, every input they entered, and their calculated results. Both you and the client receive an email with a branded PDF report attached. All leads are stored in your dashboard where you can track and manage them.

Can I manage clients and reports within AdvisorCal?

Yes. The advisor tools include a built-in client management system. You can save reports to client profiles, view report history, search by client or date, and manage team members with role-based permissions.

What do the advisor tool PDF reports include?

Each advisor tool report is a multi-page branded PDF with your firm's name, logo, and colors. It includes an executive summary, highlighted key results, a full assumptions and inputs table, year-by-year projection tables, embedded charts, and your compliance disclaimer.

Can prospects use the calculator without entering their info?

That's up to you. You can toggle lead capture on or off for each calculator. With it on, prospects fill out the calculator and enter their info to unlock results. With it off, they can see results immediately.

Is there a limit on leads or reports?

No. There are no per-lead fees, no per-report fees, and no caps. You get unlimited leads across all 28 calculators, unlimited advisor tool reports, and unlimited PDF downloads. The plan is flat-rate.

How do I add a calculator to my existing website?

Copy and paste a single iframe embed code from your dashboard. No plugins to install, no JavaScript files to manage. Works on WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, or any HTML site. The calculator automatically resizes to fit your page.

Is lead and client data secure?

Yes. All data is transmitted over HTTPS and stored in a secure, encrypted database. Lead and client data is only accessible through your authenticated dashboard. We never share, sell, or use your data for any purpose.

Compliance

What compliance disclosures should a retirement calculator include?

By Isaiah Grant, Founder, AdvisorCal · April 15, 2026

The short answerA retirement calculator on an RIA's website should carry, at minimum, a statement that the tool provides estimates not investment advice, a clarification that results depend on assumptions that may not match the user's situation, a limitation on hypothetical performance claims, and a directive to consult a licensed advisor. Tailor the language to the firm's CCO-approved standard and place it near the results so users see it.

What compliance disclosures should a retirement calculator include?

TL;DR. A retirement calculator on an RIA's website should carry, at minimum, a statement that the tool provides estimates not investment advice, a clarification that results depend on assumptions that may not match the user's situation, a limitation on hypothetical performance claims, and a directive to consult a licensed advisor. Tailor the language to the firm's CCO-approved standard and place it near the results so users see it.

The four baseline disclosures

Every retirement calculator on an advisor site should include language covering these four points. The exact wording your CCO approves may differ; these are the ideas to cover.

1. Nature of the tool. "This calculator is an educational tool that provides estimates based on the inputs you enter. It is not investment, tax, or legal advice."

2. Assumptions and limitations. "Results depend on assumptions about rates of return, inflation, tax rates, and Social Security benefits. Actual results will differ — often substantially — from the estimates shown."

3. Hypothetical performance. "Projections displayed are hypothetical. Past performance does not guarantee future results. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or applicability of any result."

4. Call to consult a professional. "For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified financial advisor, tax professional, or attorney as appropriate."

The additional disclosures that depend on the calculator

Some calculators need specific extra language.

Roth conversion and tax-strategy calculators. Add a note that tax law changes frequently, that state tax is not modeled (if that is true of the calculator), and that IRMAA, NIIT, and other phase-outs may affect actual results.

Social Security calculators. Clarify that SSA estimates can change, that benefits depend on the claiming age actually selected in the future, and that the claiming decision involves many factors beyond maximizing the monthly benefit.

Medicare / IRMAA calculators. Note that IRMAA brackets are reset annually by SSA based on CMS data and that the calculator uses the currently-published 2026 thresholds. The two-year look-back (2024 MAGI determines 2026 IRMAA) should be disclosed because it is the most misunderstood part of the rule.

Federal employee calculators (FERS, TSP, FEHB). Note that federal benefits rules change, that OPM is the authoritative source, and that the calculator's estimates are not an official benefits calculation.

Where the disclosures should live

Near the results, not just in the footer. A user who sees a retirement income projection of $8,400/month should see the assumptions and disclosures on the same screen. Footer-only disclaimers are easier to miss and weaker from a compliance standpoint.

Good practice is a collapsible "Assumptions and disclosures" block immediately below the results, with the four baseline points above plus any calculator-specific language.

What the firm's CCO should review

Language. Placement. Applicability to the specific calculator. And record retention — the calculator version, its inputs, its disclosures, and any marketing copy around it need to be archived under Rule 204-2 for at least five years.

Key facts

Applicable rule: SEC Rule 206(4)-1 (the Marketing Rule) and Rule 204-2 (Books and Records).
Record retention minimum: five years, with the first two in an easily accessible format.
Hypothetical performance conditions: the Marketing Rule imposes specific conditions on presenting hypothetical performance, including suitability for the intended audience and sufficient information for the user to understand the criteria.
2026 Medicare Part B standard premium: $206.90/month (CMS).
2026 IRMAA Tier 1 threshold (single filer): $106,000 MAGI (SSA/CMS, subject to annual adjustment).
Platform help: AdvisorCal supports custom compliance disclosures per calculator, so the CCO-approved language stays attached to every tool automatically.

Common follow-ups

Does a generic site-wide disclaimer cover calculator disclosures? Usually no. Calculator disclosures should be specific to the tool's assumptions and visible near the results.

Do I need different disclosures for consumer-facing vs advisor-only calculators? Yes. Advisor-only tools used in client meetings have a different audience than public calculators on a website. The disclosures can be lighter for advisor-only tools but record-keeping still applies.

Who approves the language? The firm's Chief Compliance Officer, sometimes with input from outside compliance counsel. The vendor provides placement; the firm owns the language.

When this doesn't apply

Broker-dealers under FINRA Rule 2210 have pre-approval requirements that go beyond the RIA model above. A dual-registered firm clears the calculator under both frameworks.

Sources

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AdvisorCal provides software tools, not investment, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified professional for decisions specific to your client or personal situation.

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