Housing burden—
——
REAL DATA • PLAIN ENGLISH • ACTION NEXT
The cheat sheet
nobody gave you.
Where your money goes. What “normal” actually looks like. What you may be missing. And the next move that matters most.
Sources: CensusBLSIRSSSANo account required
THE AMERICAN FINANCIAL DASHBOARD
Start with reality.
Median when “typical” matters. Mean only when the source actually reports a mean.
Loading data…Every number carries its statistic type, source year, geography, and methodology.
THE $100 VIEW
You earned $100. Where did it go?
This first version normalizes BLS mean consumer-unit spending against BLS mean pre-tax income. It does not pretend the remainder equals taxes or savings.
START$100.00reported mean pre-tax income baseline
BLS Consumer Expenditures • 2024 • MEAN
Not assigned by this visualization$—Not labeled “savings” or “taxes.” BLS did not publish 2024 after-tax income estimates.
MAKE THIS ABOUT ME
Six answers.
A much better picture.
No account. No tax-return interrogation. We use the minimum inputs needed for a useful first estimate.
Your answers stay in this browser in the MVP. They are not written to D1.
YOU vs AMERICA
Your first-pass picture.
ESTIMATED TAKE-HOME BEFORE STATE/LOCAL TAX$——
Federal effective rate—
Marginal federal bracket—
Employee FICA—
Federal tax mechanicsESTIMATE
——
Data confidenceTRANSPARENT
Inputs ≠ estimatesWe keep what you entered separate from calculated tax estimates and population statistics.
FOUND MONEY
Don’t show me 100 programs.
Show me the best three.
The ranking engine will use potential value × eligibility confidence ÷ effort. MVP screening intentionally avoids claiming eligibility before we have enough inputs.
TAX CREDITS
SCREENChild-related credits
Shown after personalization when children are entered. Exact eligibility and value require more facts.
WORK
NEXTEmployer match leakage
Next data point to add: employer match + your contribution rate. This can uncover compensation you are already entitled to.
LOCAL HELP
NEXTZIP-aware benefits
D1 program rules will narrow federal, state, and local programs instead of dumping a directory on you.
THE PRODUCT RULE
Statistics → meaning → action.
If a number cannot tell you what is happening, whether it is normal, or what to do next, it probably does not belong on the screen.