GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE INCLUDING DYNAMIC GENERATION OF SAVINGS OPTION SELECTORS FOR A FINANCIAL PLANNING SYSTEM

1 . A graphical user interface (GUI) for a financial planning system, the financial planning system including at least one planning engine in communication with a database, the database storing user profiles for a plurality of users, each user registered for services with respect to a financial account of the respective user, each of the user profiles including first values for a user goal field, a savings-rate field, and a savings-type field for the respective user, the GUI comprising a savings rate page programmed to generate and display a list of savings-option selectors by:

determining, using the at least one planning engine, a projected retirement income based on a first value of the savings-rate field and an assumed savings type being tax-deferred;

re-determining, using the at least one planning engine, the projected retirement income based on the first value of the savings-rate field and the assumed savings type being non-tax-deferred;

in response to (i) the first value of the savings-type field being one of tax-deferred and non-tax-deferred, and (ii) the projected retirement income being higher for the assumed savings type being the other of tax-deferred and non-tax-deferred, including in the list of savings-option selectors a change-type selector enabling the respective user to (i) maintain the first value of the savings-rate field and (ii) update the savings-type field to the other of tax-deferred and non-tax-deferred;

determining, using the at least one planning engine based on the user profile, a goal-based savings rate and a goal-based savings type, wherein the goal-based savings rate and the goal-based savings type are determined based on a minimum savings rate that enables the respective user to meet the first value of the user goal field;

in response to at least one of (i) the goal-based savings rate differing from the first value of the savings-rate field, and (ii) the goal-based savings type differing from the first value of the savings-type field, including in the list of savings-option selectors a goal-based selector enabling the respective user to update (i) the savings-rate field to the goal-based savings rate and (ii) the savings-type field to the goal-based savings type; and

displaying the list of savings-option selectors.

2 . The GUI according to claim 1 further comprising:

comparing the first value of the savings-rate field to a maximum company-match value associated with a financial plan; and

in response to determining that the first value of the savings-rate field is less than the company-match value, including in the list of savings-option selectors a company-match selector enabling the respective user to update the savings-rate field to the maximum company-match value.

3 . The GUI according to claim 2 further comprising:

including in the list of savings-option selectors a user-choice selector enabling the respective user to input a user-input value for the savings-rate field; and

updating the savings-rate field to the user-input value.

4 . The GUI according to claim 3 further comprising, in response to receiving the user-input value from the respective user:

determining, using the at least one planning engine, a projected updated retirement income based on the user-input value of the savings-rate field and an assumed savings type being tax-deferred;

re-determining, using the at least one planning engine, the projected updated retirement income based on the user-input value of the savings-rate field and the assumed savings type being non-tax-deferred;

in response to (i) the first value of the savings-type field being one of tax-deferred and non-tax-deferred, and (ii) the projected updated retirement income being higher for the assumed savings type being the other of tax-deferred and non-tax-deferred, displaying to the respective user a recommendation to update the savings-type field to the other of tax-deferred and non-tax-deferred.

5 . The GUI according to claim 3 , wherein displaying the list of savings-option selectors further comprises displaying the savings-option selectors in a hierarchical order corresponding to a degree of change of the savings-rate field from the first value of the savings-rate field, wherein:

the company-match selector appears after the change-type selector;

the goal-based selector appears after the company-match selector; and

the user-choice selector appears after the goal-based selector.

6 . The GUI according to claim 5 further comprising including in the list of savings-option selectors a no-change selector operable to maintain the first values for both the savings-rate and savings-type fields, wherein the hierarchical order further includes the no-change selector appearing before the change-type selector.

7 . The GUI according to claim 1 , wherein displaying the list of savings-option selectors further comprises displaying the goal-based selector as a default selection.

8 . The GUI according to claim 1 further comprising, in response to the respective user selecting one of the savings-option selectors, displaying a review screen comprising:

a submit-changes link operable to execute the associated updates in the user profile; and

a cancel link operable to maintain the first values of the savings-rate field and the savings-type field.

9 . A computer-implemented method for implementing a graphical user interface (GUI) for a financial planning system, the financial planning system including at least one planning engine in communication with a database, the database storing user profiles for a plurality of users, each user registered for services with respect to a financial account of the respective user, each of the user profiles including first values for a user goal field, a savings-rate field, and a savings-type field for the respective user, the method comprising:

determining, using the at least one planning engine, a projected retirement income based on a first value of the savings-rate field and an assumed savings type being tax-deferred;

re-determining, using the at least one planning engine, the projected retirement income based on the first value of the savings-rate field and the assumed savings type being non-tax-deferred;

in response to (i) the first value of the savings-type field being one of tax-deferred and non-tax-deferred, and (ii) the projected retirement income being higher for the assumed savings type being the other of tax-deferred and non-tax-deferred, including in a list of savings-option selectors a change-type selector enabling the respective user to (i) maintain the first value of the savings-rate field and (ii) update the savings-type field to the other of tax-deferred and non-tax-deferred;

determining, using the at least one planning engine based on the user profile, a goal-based savings rate and a goal-based savings type, wherein the goal-based savings rate and the goal-based savings type are determined based on a minimum savings rate that enables the respective user to meet the first value of the user goal field;

in response to at least one of (i) the goal-based savings rate differing from the first value of the savings-rate field, and (ii) the goal-based savings type differing from the first value of the savings-type field, including in the list of savings-option selectors a goal-based selector enabling the respective user to update (i) the savings-rate field to the goal-based savings rate and (ii) the savings-type field to the goal-based savings type; and

displaying the list of savings-option selectors on a savings rate page of the GUI.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 further comprising:

comparing the first value of the savings-rate field to a maximum company-match value associated with a financial plan; and

in response to determining that the first value of the savings-rate field is less than the company-match value, including in the list of savings-option selectors a company-match selector enabling the respective user to update the savings-rate field to the maximum company-match value.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 further comprising:

including in the list of savings-option selectors a user-choice selector enabling the respective user to input a user-input value for the savings-rate field; and

updating the savings-rate field to the user-input value.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining, using the at least one planning engine, a projected updated retirement income based on the user-input value of the savings-rate field and an assumed savings type being tax-deferred;

re-determining, using the at least one planning engine, the projected updated retirement income based on the user-input value of the savings-rate field and the assumed savings type being non-tax-deferred;

in response to (i) the first value of the savings-type field being one of tax-deferred and non-tax-deferred, and (ii) the projected updated retirement income being higher for the assumed savings type being the other of tax-deferred and non-tax-deferred, displaying to the respective user a recommendation to update the savings-type field to the other of tax-deferred and non-tax-deferred.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein displaying the list of savings-option selectors further comprises displaying the savings-option selectors in a hierarchical order corresponding to a degree of change of the savings-rate field from the first value of the savings-rate field, wherein:

the company-match selector appears after the change-type selector;

the goal-based selector appears after the company-match selector; and

the user-choice selector appears after the goal-based selector.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 further comprising including in the list of savings-option selectors a no-change selector operable to maintain the first values for both the savings-rate and savings-type fields, wherein the hierarchical order further includes the no-change selector appearing before the change-type selector.

15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein displaying the list of savings-option selectors further comprises displaying the goal-based selector as a default selection.

16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 further comprising, in response to the respective user selecting one of the savings-option selectors, displaying a review screen comprising:

a submit-changes link operable to execute the associated updates in the user profile; and

a cancel link operable to maintain the first values of the savings-rate field and the savings-type field.

17 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage media that includes computer-executable instructions for implementing a graphical user interface (GUI) for a financial planning system, the financial planning system including at least one planning engine in communication with a database, the database storing user profiles for a plurality of users, each user registered for services with respect to a financial account of the respective user, each of the user profiles including first values for a user goal field, a savings-rate field, and a savings-type field for the respective user, the GUI generated by at least one processor, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to:

determine, using the at least one planning engine, a projected retirement income based on a first value of the savings-rate field and an assumed savings type being tax-deferred;

re-determine, using the at least one planning engine, the projected retirement income based on the first value of the savings-rate field and the assumed savings type being non-tax-deferred;

in response to (i) the first value of the savings-type field being one of tax-deferred and non-tax-deferred, and (ii) the projected retirement income being higher for the assumed savings type being the other of tax-deferred and non-tax-deferred, include in a list of savings-option selectors a change-type selector enabling the respective user to (i) maintain the first value of the savings-rate field and (ii) update the savings-type field to the other of tax-deferred and non-tax-deferred;

determine, using the at least one planning engine based on the user profile, a goal-based savings rate and a goal-based savings type, wherein the goal-based savings rate and the goal-based savings type are determined based on a minimum savings rate that enables the respective user to meet the first value of the user goal field;

in response to at least one of (i) the goal-based savings rate differing from the first value of the savings-rate field, and (ii) the goal-based savings type differing from the first value of the savings-type field, include in the list of savings-option selectors a goal-based selector enabling the respective user to update (i) the savings-rate field to the goal-based savings rate and (ii) the savings-type field to the goal-based savings type; and

display the list of savings-option selectors on a savings rate page of the GUI.

18 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 17 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to:

compare the first value of the savings-rate field to a maximum company-match value associated with a financial plan; and

in response to determining that the first value of the savings-rate field is less than the company-match value, include in the list of savings-option selectors a company-match selector enabling the respective user to update the savings-rate field to the maximum company-match value.

19 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 18 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to:

include in the list of savings-option selectors a user-choice selector enabling the respective user to input a user-input value for the savings-rate field; and

update the savings-rate field to the user-input value.

20 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 18 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to, in response to the respective user selecting one of the savings-option selectors, display a review screen comprising:

a submit-changes link operable to execute the associated updates in the user profile; and

a cancel link operable to maintain the first values of the savings-rate field and the savings-type field.