About LifeCost

LifeCost is a set of free calculators that expose the hidden cost of everyday money decisions. Every page publishes the exact formula behind its result, so you can reproduce the number in a spreadsheet and check the assumptions against your own situation. The full list of formulas is on the methodology page.

Where the rules come from

Every calculator that encodes a legal, tax, or regulatory rule cites its primary source. The site draws on IRS publications and the Internal Revenue Code for withdrawal and penalty math, the U.S. Trustee Program’s median income tables for the bankruptcy means test, CFPB research for lending and fee costs, FTC data for MLM income claims, the Consumer Credit Protection Act for wage garnishment limits, Federal Register poverty guidelines for charity-care eligibility, and state statutes for debt limitation periods. Where a number cannot be traced to a source like these, the page says so instead of guessing.

What this site does not do

No data is collected, stored, sent, or sold. Every calculation runs in your browser and is gone when you close the tab. There are no lender referrals, no affiliate links, and no advertising. That independence is why the site can cover payday lending, rent-to-own, and MLM income honestly: no one pays it to look the other way.

What this site is not

LifeCost provides estimates for educational purposes. It is not financial, legal, or tax advice, and it is not a substitute for a licensed professional. For decisions with real stakes, take the number this site gives you to a professional as your starting question.

Contact

Questions, corrections, and error reports: admin@scopeuniverse.com. A wrong number on a page here matters; if you find one, say so and it gets fixed.