The calculators on this site answer specific questions with specific numbers. The guides do something different: they explain how a topic works, so you can understand why the number is what it is and what you might do about it. The best results usually come from using the two together.
Read first, then calculate
If you're new to a topic, start with the guide. The UK take-home pay guide explains how income tax, National Insurance, pensions and student loans fit together. Once you know which deductions apply to you, the calculator becomes much more useful, because you'll know which boxes to fill in and which settings matter. The same applies to pension drawdown, balance transfers and comparing an ISA with a taxable account: the guide gives you the framework, and the calculator applies it to your own figures.
Calculate first, then read
Sometimes the order runs the other way. You run a calculation, the answer surprises you, and you want to know why. Each guide links to the calculators it explains, and each calculator links to the guides that go deeper. If a bonus seems heavily taxed, or a drawdown plan runs out sooner than you expected, the relevant guide explains the mechanism behind the result.
How the guides are written
Every guide is written by the CalculatorDashboard editorial team for UK readers. Rates and thresholds are taken from GOV.UK, HMRC and the relevant official bodies, and each guide shows when it was last updated. When the rules change, usually each April, we review the guides alongside the calculators so the two stay consistent. Worked examples use figures from the same calculation engines that power the tools, so a number in a guide should match what the calculator shows for the same inputs.
The guides explain how things work and what to consider. They aren't personal financial advice, and they can't take account of your full circumstances. For decisions that are large or hard to reverse, such as transferring a pension or choosing how to invest a lump sum, speak to a regulated adviser or use the free guidance available from MoneyHelper.
Where to start
If you're not sure which guide to read, these questions point the way:
- "Why is my take-home pay lower than I expected?" Start with the take-home pay guide.
- "How long will my pension pot last?" Read the drawdown and sequence-risk guide.
- "Should I use an ISA for my savings?" Read the ISA versus taxable account guide.
- "Is a 0% balance transfer worth it?" Read the balance transfer strategy guide.
We add new guides regularly, focusing on the questions our calculator users ask most.