Many financial decisions look small.
The long term effects are not.

The Long Math is an independent website providing tools and explanations that make the long-term arithmetic of personal financial decisions visible.

No opinions. No hidden assumptions. Just arithmetic.

One small percentage. One very large difference.

$500,000 invested for 30 years at 7%

No advisory fee $3,806,000
1% advisory fee $2,867,000
Difference $939,000

A small annual percentage becomes a very large number when compounded over decades.

See the full calculation →

Adjust the fee

Management fee Selected fee: 1.0%
No fee (7% annual return) $3,806,000
With selected fee $2,867,000
Cost of fee $939,000

Illustrative annual compounding over 30 years. Slider adjusts the fee in the model only.

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Calculators

Interactive models that show how fees, taxes, inflation, and time interact over decades.

  • Cost of a Financial Advisor
  • Pay Off Mortgage vs Invest
  • Inflation Time Machine
  • TFSA Contribution Room
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Understanding

Clear explanations of the concepts behind investing and long-term financial arithmetic.

  • Compound Interest
  • Inflation
  • What Is Investing
  • What Is a Stock
  • What Is the Stock Market
  • Asset Classes
Browse Understanding →

Beyond the Numbers

Essays on a life and career in medicine through a personal and business finance lens.

Read Essays →

Questions the Long Math Can Answer

Examples of questions this site addresses using explicit assumptions and inspectable arithmetic:

Inspectable Arithmetic

Financial conclusions are often presented without the math behind them. The Long Math focuses on the arithmetic itself.

Every model on this site shows:

  • the formulas used
  • the assumptions used
  • the inputs used

Nothing is hidden.

Start Here

If you are new to investing, begin with these ideas:

Browse Understanding →

More Models Over Time

Future tools will explore long-term financial arithmetic in areas such as:

  • taxes
  • corporate vs personal investing
  • investment fee structures
  • long-term financial scenarios

The goal remains the same: make the arithmetic visible.

Start with the math.

Explore the arithmetic behind financial decisions.