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We updated the math behind the Guardrails and Buckets Value-Add reports to align with the Kitces methodology and the Matthew Jarvis spreadsheet conventions used widely in the industry. This update was deployed to production on April 16, 2026.

What changed

Guardrails income bands are now anchored on the client's current monthly income (±10%), rather than derived from a portfolio-based ratio.

Guardrails portfolio thresholds use the Kitces formulas: Upper Portfolio = annual income ÷ lower rate; Lower Portfolio = annual income ÷ upper rate.

Buckets calculations brought to full parity with Guardrails.

Why this matters

In cases where a client's actual withdrawal rate was meaningfully below your firm's available rate, the previous math could produce a lower-guardrail income figure that didn't behave as the methodology intends. The updated calculations resolve this.

If you generated Guardrails or Buckets reports before April 16, the numbers may differ if regenerated today. Existing saved snapshots retain their original values; new generations use the updated math.

Other updates

Settings UI: rate inputs now accept 2-decimal precision.

New default rates for new firms: upper 6.48%, lower 4.32% (±20% of 5.4%).

Portfolio amounts now round to the nearest $10K; available monthly income rounds down to the nearest $10.

Three changes shipped today.

Fix — Value Add settings now apply immediately

We fixed an issue where changes to your firm's Value Add settings could take up to a minute to take effect. After saving, advisors might briefly see a Value Add as unavailable even though it had just been enabled. Settings changes now apply instantly across the app the moment you save.

Improvement — Value Adds: cleaner engine, clearer error messages

We reorganized the engine behind Value Adds — Guardrails, Buckets, 1099 Letters, Net Worth Statements, Beneficiary Reports, and Homework Sheets — into a more modular structure. Reports look identical and generate the same way you're used to. This cleanup makes future Value Add improvements faster to deliver.

One small change you may notice: if you ever open a Value Add link with an invalid ID — usually from an outdated bookmark or a shared URL — you'll now see a clear "Value Add not found" message instead of a generic error.

Improvement — Households: behind-the-scenes improvements

We restructured the code that powers household pages, accounts, contacts, and imports. Nothing changes in how you use SurgeTK — same screens, same workflows, same data.

This cleanup expands automated test coverage in the household area, lowering regression risk and clearing the way for upcoming household features.