Pre-launch: a [bracketed] placeholder is still unset (jurisdiction / refund window). Set it and have a lawyer review before launch.

About Calconomics

Last updated: June 4, 2026

Calconomics makes small, precise money calculators for the United States and Canada — the kind you can use in ten seconds, understand, and even download and own. The math behind every money decision. This page explains exactly how we build them, where our numbers come from, and what they can and can't do — so you can decide how much to trust a result.

How we build every calculator

Each calculator is defined once, as a single tested formula. The math shown in the worked example, the math that runs live as you type, and the math in our automated tests are the same function — so what you see is what we verified, not a separate marketing demo.

Before any calculator ships, it has to pass five automated checks:

Unit tests — every calculator carries worked examples with known answers; the build fails if a result drifts.
Deterministic audit — scans for edge-case crashes, bad output formats, and stale year labels.
Offline self-containment — each downloadable calculator must run with no internet and no external code.
Render & region tests — every page must display, recompute, and localize correctly (e.g. show the right state/province numbers) with zero script errors.
Visual layout tests — real-browser checks on desktop and mobile.

Calculators also render fully before any script loads, so a page is never blank — the interactivity is an enhancement, not a requirement.

Where our numbers come from

Tax brackets, contribution limits, and payroll ceilings change every year, so we keep them in one place and verify them against primary sources before each tax year. For 2026 our figures are anchored to:

US federal income tax — IRS inflation-adjusted brackets.
Canada federal income tax — Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) brackets (lowest rate now 14%).
Payroll — Social Security wage base, and CRA's CPP and EI maximums and rates.
Registered accounts — CRA limits for RRSP, TFSA, FHSA and the CESG grant; IRS limits for 401(k) and IRA.

We refresh these annually; the build itself warns us the moment the data falls behind the calendar. State- and province-specific rates shown in some tools are top-marginal estimates you can edit to match your own bracket.

What these tools are — and aren't

Calconomics calculators are for education and planning. They produce estimates from the numbers you enter and from general rules that don't capture every credit, deduction, exemption, or local rule. They are not financial, tax, investment, or legal advice. For decisions that matter, confirm the result with a qualified professional (a CPA, tax preparer, mortgage broker, or licensed advisor). We're transparent about each tool's assumptions in its "How it's calculated" section.

Privacy by design

The numbers you type never leave your device — they're stored only in your own browser, and the downloadable calculators work fully offline. We don't require an account and we don't track your inputs. (See our Privacy Policy.)

Who's behind Calconomics

Calconomics is an independent project based in British Columbia, Canada. We're not a bank, a government agency, or a financial institution, and we're not affiliated with any. We build these tools ourselves and stand behind their accuracy — if you ever find a number that looks wrong, tell us at hello@calconomics.com and we'll investigate and fix it.