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Maintenance Update 06 20 2003

Calculator update notes for 6-30-2003.

Financial Calculator Update 6/30/2003

The quarterly update for 06/30/2003 is a large update, affecting many calculators, however most of the updated items are optional changes to definitions and other non-calculation items.

If you have not updated your calculators in a while you should definitely refresh you existing documents with the new ones. 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 6/30/2003 update: 6/30/2003 Update. (The 6/30/2003 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.)

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. It will have three subdirectories.
  4. Replace the contents of your current KJEgui, KJEgraph and KJEcalculation directories with the new version
  5. Replace your current dinkytown.jar file with the new version
  6. Replace all files with the extension "class" with the new versions
  7. Make required changes to any HTML documents as describe later in this document or replace all of your existing HTML documents and reapply your web-site custom changes.

If you have NOT made any changes to the HTML Files used in your deployment you can simply replace all HTML files with the new versions in your download. If you have made changes to your HTML files, please review the changes below.

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:

Chose "Internet Options" under the "Tools" menu and on the "General" tab click on the "Delete Files…" button.

Netscape:

Chose "Prefrences…" under the "Edit" menu. Click on the "Advanced" category and then "Cache" option which appears under it. Click the "Clear Memory Cache" button, then click the "Clear Disk Cache" button.)

Master Changes (HTML Modification required, affects all calculators)

  1. None

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

  1. Reporting with Netscape 6 (all platforms) and IE for the Mac has been improved to provide a more flexible format when the applet HTML viewer is used. No other browsers or operating systems are affected by this change.

Updates that require modifications to HTML documents

  1. Payroll Deductions: Payroll.html has been updated to include the changes required by “The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003”. The definitions and description contained in Payroll.html have been updated to reflect these changes. The Java™ class PayrollCalc.class for this calculator has also been updated to use the new rate tables.

  2. 1040 Tax Calculator: Tax1040.html has been updated to the new rules passed in the "Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003". This includes the description, definitions, and the report. It is recommended that you reapply format changes to the new Tax1040.html and deploy the new calculator.

  3. 1040 EZ Tax Calculator: TaxEZ1040.html has been updated to the new rules passed in the "Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003". This includes the description, definitions, and the report. It is recommended that you reapply format changes to the new TaxEZ1040.html and deploy the new calculator.

  4. Marginal and Effective Tax Rates: TaxMargin.html has been updated to the new rules passed in the "Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003". This includes the description, definitions, and the report. It is recommended that you reapply format changes to the new TaxMargin.html and deploy the new calculator.

  5. Default tax income tax rate of 27% has been changed to 25%: This reflects the rate change for "The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003" in the following calculators:
    CalculatorHTML File AffectedUpdated Parameter
    Variable AnnuityAnnuity.html <PARAM name="CURRENT_TAX_RATE" value="25">
    Auto Loan vs Home Equity LoanAutoEquityLoan.html <PARAM name="FED_TAX_RATE" value="25">
    Emergency Savings CalculatorEmergency.html <PARAM name="FED_TAX_RATE" value="25">
    Debt ConsolidationConsolidate.html <PARAM name="INCOME_TAX_RATE" value="25">
    Biz Debt Consolidation BizConsolidate.html Consolidate.html <PARAM name="INCOME_TAX_RATE" value="25">
    Loan & Credit Line Tax Savings LineTaxes.html <PARAM name="FEDERAL_TAX_RATE" value="25">
    Mortgage Refinance Breakeven MortgageRefinance.html <PARAM name="INCOME_TAX_RATE" value="25">
    Mortgage comparison: 15 years vs. 30 years MortgageCompare.html <PARAM name="MARGINAL_TAX_RATE" value="25.00">
    Rent vs. Buy MortgageRentvsBuy.html <PARAM name="TAX_RATE" value="25">
    Mortgage Tax Saving Calculator MortgageTaxes.html <PARAM name="FEDERAL_TAX_RATE" value="25">
    Traditional IRA Calculator RegularIRA.html <PARAM name="CURRENT_TAX_RATE" value="25">
    Retirement Income Calculator RetirementIncome.html <PARAM name="CURRENT_TAX_RATE" value="25">
    Retirement Shortfall Calculator RetireShort.html <PARAM name="FED_TAX_RATE" value="25">
    401(k) Spend It or Save It Calculator Rollover401k.html <PARAM name="FEDERAL_TAX" value="25.00">
    Roth IRA Calculator RothIRA.html <PARAM name="MARGINAL_TAX_RATE" value="25">
    Roth IRA Conversion Calculator RothTransfer.html <PARAM name="TAX_RATE" value="25"> <PARAM name="TAX_RATE_INVEST" value="15">
    Which is better: a Roth IRA or a Traditional IRA? RothvsRegular.html <PARAM name="CURRENT_TAX_RATE" value="25">
    Savings, Taxes and Inflation SavingsVariables.html <PARAM name="FED_TAX_RATE" value="25">
    Benefit of Spending Less SpendLess.html <PARAM name="FEDERAL_TAX_RATE" value="25">
    Investment Returns InvestmentReturn.html <PARAM name="TAX_RATE" value="15">

  6. OPTIONAL ENHANCEMENT: Mortgage ARM vs. Fixed: MortgageArmvsFixed.html. New functionality has been added to display the breakeven point for a Fixed rate mortgage vs. the ARM. To have this new message appear you can either reapply your changes to MortgageArmvsFixed.html or add the following HTML code to the MortgageArmvsFixed.html document:

    <TR><TD colspan=3>BREAK_EVEN_NOTE*<P>*This only applies to the Fully Amortizing ARM vs. Fixed Rate Mortgage.</TD></TR>

    This should be placed immediately after the line:

    <TR><TD><b>Payment savings for five years</b></TD><TD>SAVINGS_ARM_FIVE_YEAR</TD><TD>SAVINGS_IO_FIVE_YEAR</TD></TR>

  7. OPTIONAL ENHANCEMENTS: Minor changes have been made to the definitions of the following calculators. These changes are for better readability and do not affect the overall functionality of the calculator.

    Estate Tax PlanningEstatePlan.html
    How much do you owe?DebtAmount.html
    Rolldown your Credit Card debt!DebtRolldown.html
    Credit Card PayoffPayoffCC.html
    Credit Card Optimizer CardOptimizer.html
    Consolidation Loan Investment Calculator InvestmentDebt.html
    Auto Lease vs. BuyBuyvsLease.html
    Home Equity vs. Auto LoanAutoEquityLoan.html
    Net Worth CalculatorNetWorth.html
    Checkbook BalancerCheckBook.html
    Long Term Care CalculatorLongtermCare.html
    Life Expectancy CalculatorLifeTime.html
    Rent vs. BuyMortgageRentvsBuy.html
    Mortgage Points CalculatorMortgagePoints.html
    Mortgage Tax Savings CalculatorMortgageTaxes.html
    Mortgage Required IncomeMortgageIncome.html
    Maximum Mortgage MortgageMaximum.html
    Stock Option CalculatorStockOptions.html
    Annual Stock Option GrantsStockGrants.html
    Investment ReturnsInvestmentReturn.html
    Investment LoanInvestmentLoan.html
    Future Contracts CalculatorFutureContracts.html
    Retirement PlannerRetirementPlan.html
    Retirement Pension PlannerRetirementPlan3.html
    Retirement Income CalculatorRetirementIncome.html
    Roth vs. Traditional IRARothvsRegular.html
    Roth IRA CalculatorRothIRA.html
    Traditional IRA CalculatorRegularIRA.html
    Roth IRA ConversionRothTransfer.html
    Variable Annuity CalculatorAnnuity.html
    How important is Social Security?NoSocial.html
    401(k) Savings CalculatorRetire401k.html
    72T CalculatorRetire403b.html
    Require Minimum DistributionsRetireDistrib.html
    Beneficiary Required Minimum DistributionsRetireBeneficiary.html
    403(b) Savings CalculatorRetire403b.html
    Retirement Shortfall CalculatorRetireShort.html
    Pension Plan Retirement OptionsPensionOptions.html
    401(k) Spend it or Save it CalculatorRollover401k.html
    College SavingsCollegeSavings.html
    Savings Goal Savings.html
    Savings CalculatorCompoundSavings.html
    Savings, Taxes and InflationSavingsVariables.html
    Cool MillionMillionaire.html
    Compound InterestCompoundInterest.html
    Emergency Savings CalculatorEmergency.html
    Benefit of Spending LessSpendLess.html
    Lunch Savings CalculatorLunchSaver.html
    Don't Delay Your Savings!WaitCost.html
    Savings Distribution CalculatorDistribSavings.html
    Inventory AnalysisInventory.html
    Cash Flow CalculatorCashFlow.html
    Working Capital NeedsCapital.html
    Business Debt Consolidation CalculatorBizConsolidate.html
    Equipment Buy vs. LeaseBizBuyvsLease.html
    Alternative Payment FrequenciesComplexLoan.html
    Debt Consolidation CalculatorConsolidate.html
    Line of Credit PayoffPayoffLine.html
    Equity Line of Credit PaymentsPaymentLine.html
    Loan Prequalification CalculatorLoanPrequal.html

Updates that require do not require to HTML documents

  1. 403(b) Calculator: Retire403b.html. Maximum employee contribution has been increased to 50% of salary. Amounts over 20% can now be entered directly into the data entry field for contribution.

  2. Mortgage Points Calculator: MortgagePoints. class. Number of mortgage points purchased may now be entered as a negative number to indicate a rebate. If a negative number is entered for the number of points, the mortgage rate should be (but is not considered required to be) higher. The mortgage balance for the Mortgage without points will be higher by the rebate amount.

  3. Mortgage Qualifier Calculator: MortgageQualifier. class. Small rounding error has been addressed where a very small ending balance may remained after the final payment of the loan has been made. All loan balances now correctly end at $0.00 after the term of the loan has expired. This did not affect the qualifying amount calculation, only the last payment on the amortization schedule was occasionally affected.

  4. Savings Distribution Calculator: DistribSavings. class. Error on the slider for amounts under $100,000 has been corrected.

  5. Social Security: SocialSecurity.class has been improved to provide better viewing with the SUN Java™ Plugin 1.4.