Maintenance Update 03 31 2009

Financial Calculator Update 3/31/2009

The quarterly update for 3/31/2009 is a targeted update. Most of the significant changes are centered around the tax calculators, which have been updated to the preliminary 2009 tax rules and rates. There have been a few other updates, but they are limited to optional changes and enhancements. The one exception to this are new rates for 72T calculations.

If you have not updated your calculators in a while you should definitely refresh your existing HTML calculator pages. All updates are cumulative, so if you start fresh with this update you will have all previous calculator updates as well. If you would like, you can review our 12/31/2008 update: 12/31/2008 Update. (The 3/31/2009 update includes all changes included in previous updates, you do not need to download any other updates to have the most current versions of all of the calculator components.)

Make sure to try our new Calculator Configurator: Calculator Configurator
This new tool lets you see exactly how you can customize the many features of our calculators.

Update instructions*:

1. Download the latest version of your calculators from your download site, found on your update e-mail notice.
2. Execute the Calc.exe file from your download. This is a self-extracting zip file. (Or unzip the Calc.zip file if you are using a non-windows platform.)
3. When prompted for a directory, you may use the default of "java" or enter your own. It is recommended that you extract the update to a new directory and then move the required files to your production environment. One directory will be created with no subdirectories.
4. Delete the contents, in your current deployment, of the KJEgui, KJEgraph and KJEcalculation directories and remove them from your server. The new version no longer requires these directories or their content.
5. Replace your current dinkytown.jar file with the new version.
6. Replace all files with the extension "class" with the new version.
7. Make required changes to any HTML documents as described in this document or replace all of your existing HTML documents and re-apply your web-site custom changes.

*Please note, if you have a Servlet or other custom deployment (other than the custom formatted delivery described below), installation instructions for your package will found on your download page.

Update for custom formatted delivery**:

**Custom formatted delivery is a special option that you can add to your maintenance update service. With this option we can apply an HTML, JSP, CFM or ASP template to your calculator pages and their reports before the update is sent to you. You will then receive your calculator pages with all of your site formatting in place, without any rework to include changes that have been made to the pages deployed on your server. If you are interested in using custom formatted delivery, please contact us at (612) 331-2291, or for more information.

1. Download the latest version of your calculators from your download site, found on your update e-mail notice.
2. Execute the Calc.exe file from your download. This is a self-extracting zip file. (Or unzip the Calc.zip file if you are using a non-windows platform.)
3. When prompted for a directory, you may use the default of "c:\java" or enter your own. It is recommended that you extract the update to a new directory and then move the required files to your production environment. One directory will be created with no subdirectories.
4. Delete the contents, in your current deployment, of the KJEgui, KJEgraph and KJEcalculation directories and remove them from your server. The new version no longer requires these directories or their content.

All pages will be custom formatted to your site, no further integration or modification of the calculators is required. Please note, if your custom delivery uses Active Server Pages (ASP), Java™ Server Pages (JSP) or Cold Fusion (CFM) the respective ASP, JSP or CFM pages will be in place of your HTML documents for all calculator main pages. Report templates will remain in HTML documents (these documents are not called by your server, but instead used by the applet in the main calculator page).

To clear your Browser's cache:

When you test the new version of the calculators, make sure that the browser you are using uses the new files instead of any it may have in its cache. You may need to clear the browser's cache manually to ensure the new versions are loaded.

Internet Explorer:

Choose "Internet Options" under the "Tools" menu and on the "General" tab click on the "Delete" button under the Browsing History section. Click the top button "Clear private data now..." Click "Ok" when prompted if you wish to delete all temporary files. Close this dialog box, and all open Internet Explorer windows. Your Cache should then be cleared.

Firefox and Netscape:

Choose "Clear private data..." under the "Tools" menu. Check the box for "Cache" and then click the button "Clear private data now".

Master Changes (no HTML changes required, affects all calculators)

No change to base functionality of calculators in this update.

Updates that require modifications to HTML documents

1. 1040 Tax Estimator: (Tax1040.html) has been updated for new rates and schedules for 2009. This includes changes to the definitions, and the java calculation modules.

2. 1040EZ Tax Estimator: (Tax1040EZ.html) has been updated for new rates and schedules for 2009. This includes changes to the definitions, and the java calculation modules. Please note that no new entry or output fields were required, but the tax tables and many of the tax computations were affected.

3. Marginal Tax Estimator: (TaxMargin.html) has been updated for new rates and schedules for 2009. This includes changes to the definitions, and the java calculation modules. Please note that no new entry or output fields were required, but the tax tables and many of the tax computations were affected.

4. Self Employment Tax Estimator: (TaxSelfEmployment.html) has been updated for the new rates and schedules for 2009. This includes changes to the definitions, and the java calculation modules. Please note that no new entry or output fields were required, but the tax tables and many of the tax computations were affected.

5. Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) Beneficiary Required Minimum Distributions, Strech IRA Calculator (RetireDistrib.html, RetireBeneficiary.html, StrechIRA.html, SPRetireDistrib.html, SPRetireBeneficiary.html, ): Thanks to a new Federal law, there will be no Required Minimum Distribution for tax-deferred retirement accounts in 2009. This includes IRAs, 401k(s), 403(b)s and other defined contribution plans. This suspension allows the owner's and beneficiaries of these accounts to conserve their account balances. This law was passed in response to last year's sharp market downturn. This law does not affect RMDs required for 2008, even if the actual distribution happens in 2009. These calculators have been updated so that if a distribution would normally have been required it is set to $0 for 2009 and a message on the report will appear:

   New legislation has suspended all RMDs for 2009. Without the 2009 RMD suspension, the minimum distribution would have been $x.xx."

6. 72T Calculator, 72T Distribution Impact: (Retire72T.html, Retire72Alt.html, SPRetire72T.html, SPRetire72Alt.html): The default "Reasonable interest rate" has been changed to 2.59 % to reflect 120% of the current Federal Mid-Term rate as of April 2009.

   In addition, the link to the rates page was changed to http://www.irs.gov/app/picklist/list/federalRates.html from http://www.irs.gov/taxpros/lists/0,,id=98042,00.html, this page on IRS.gov was moved.

   All 72T calculators now allow input of up to three decimal places.

7. Canadian Mortgage Qualifier (CAMortgageQualifier.html, FRMortgageQualifier.html)): Calculator now requires a 5% downpayment. The purchase price and monthly payment are automatically reduced to the amount that is the lower of the monthly payment that they qualify for OR the maximum purchase price while providing a 5% downpayment out of their cash on hand.

8. Individual 401(k) Calculator: (RetireSolo401k.html): Definition update to;

   As an example, consider a 25-year-old self-employed person with an net income of $40,000 per year. They would be able to contribute:

   • $16,500 as an employee contribution
   • $7,434 as an employer contribution*
   • $23,934 Maximum contribution for 2009
   *This is 25% of adjusted net income $29,739. Adjusted net income is calculated as net business income of $40,000 - deduction for Self-Employment Tax of $2,826 divided by 1.25.  

9. Updated tax tables for 2009 income tax rates: The following calculators have had income tax tables updated to the new 2009 rates and brackets and exemption amounts (where applicable):
   1. Taxable vs. Tax Advantaged Investments: InvestCompare.html
   2. What will it take to reach my investment goal?: InvestmentVariables.html
   3. Mortgage Tax Savings Calculator: MortgageTaxes.html
   4. REIT Tax-Equivalent Distribution: REITTaxEquivYield.html
   5. Retirement Plan Withdrawal: RetirementWithdrawal.html

10. Payroll Deductions for 457 Plans, Should my spouse work?, Payroll Deductions, Section 125 Cafeteria Plan, Net to Gross Paycheck Calculator, Hourly Paycheck Calculator, Retirement Contribution Effects on Your Paycheck (457Payroll.html, IncomeOneorTwo.html, Payroll125.html, PayrollGross.html, PayrollHourly.html, RetirePayrollSavings.html, ):These calculators have been updated to use the new withholding tables included with the 2009 Stimulus Bill. The new withholding tables are as follows:

    Single Withholding Rates*

    Annual taxable income between these amounts		Annual withholding	Withhold additional % of income over this amount
    $0.00	$7,180.00	$0.00
    $7,180.00	$10,400.00	$0.00	10%	$7,180.00
    $10,400.00	$36,200.00	$322.00	15%	$10,400.00
    $36,200.00	$66,530.00	$4,192.00	25%	$36,200.00
    $66,530.00	$173,600.00	$11,774.50.00	28%	$66,530.00
    $173,600.00	$375,000.00	$41,754.10	33%	$173,600.00
    $375,000.00	(no limit)	$108,216.10	35%	$375,000.00
    *This information is from IRS Publication 15-T, Rev. March 2009, for wages paid in 2009.

    Married Withholding Rates*

    Annual taxable income between these amounts		Annual withholding	Withhold additional % of income over this amount
    $ 0.00	$15,750.00	$0.00
    $15,750.00	$24,450.00	$0.00	10%	$15,750.00
    $24,450.00	$75,650.00	$870.00	15%	$24,450.00
    $75,650.00	$118,130.00	$8.550.00	25%	$75,650.00
    $118,130.00	$216,600.00	$19,170.00	28%	$118,130.00
    $216,600.00	$380,700.00	$46,741.60	33%	$216,600.00
    $380,700.00	(no limit)	$100,894.60	35%	$380,700.00
    *This information is from IRS Publication 15-T, Rev. March 2009, for wages paid in 2009.

Updates do not require changes to HTML documents