Where surplus cashflow goes
How the engine routes the cash left over each year after expenses and required mortgage payments.
Partially live. Some option values for this strategy are captured by ProjectFi but not yet consumed by the engine. The Intent-only chip in the dashboard reflects the same gap.
What it models
- •
Each year, after living expenses and required mortgage repayments, whatever's left is surplus cashflow.
- •
Pay down the mortgage: the engine directs surplus to extra mortgage principal first; anything left flows to non-super investments. Engine reads this branch directly.
- •
Invest outside super (default): the engine sends surplus straight to non-super investments. The voluntary super option uses your existing voluntary CC and NCC inputs (set on the Super tab) rather than redirecting surplus, so this choice currently behaves like 'invest outside super' until the engine adds an explicit voluntary-super routing path.
When someone might apply it
- •
Some users prefer non-super investments because the money stays accessible before preservation age.
- •
Some users direct surplus to mortgage paydown because they value the certainty of debt elimination over investment returns.
- •
Some users boost super contributions via the Super tab inputs because the tax treatment compounds long-term, especially under the concessional contribution cap.
Trade-offs
- •
Mortgage paydown reduces non-super accumulation, which can starve the bridge years before super becomes accessible (FIRE age to preservation age).
- •
Voluntary super contributions are tax-efficient but locked until preservation age. The 4% safe withdrawal rate assumes a portfolio you can actually access.
- •
Non-super investments incur capital gains tax on every sale or strategic move into super. The engine models this proportionally.
Note: The 'boost super via voluntary contributions' option is captured but not wired as a distinct routing path. The engine currently reads voluntary CC and NCC from the Super tab inputs; the surplus-destination strategy has only two engine-live branches (pay down mortgage, invest outside super). Selecting voluntary super in the picker behaves like 'invest outside super' until that branch lands in a future engine update.
ProjectFi is a planning tool, not financial advice. Projections are estimates only. Please consult a licensed financial adviser before making investment decisions.