Tracking Goal Progress

How to read your goal metrics in Forbidden Finance, including progress percentage, projected completion, required contributions, and history snapshots.

Overview

Every goal in Forbidden Finance comes with a set of metrics that tell you exactly where you stand and what it takes to reach your target. The progress screen shows your current balance, projected completion date, required monthly contribution, and a visual history of your progress over time. These metrics update automatically as you contribute, link accounts, and record transactions.

The most important number is your projected completion date. It answers the question: "If I keep going at my current pace, when will I actually reach this goal?" If that date is after your target date, you know you need to increase contributions or extend your deadline.

Key Metrics

Metric	What It Means
Current balance	The total amount accumulated toward this goal from all sources
Target amount	The total you are working toward
Progress percentage	Current balance as a percentage of the target
Target date	When you want to reach the goal
Projected completion	When you will actually reach the goal at your current pace
Required monthly contribution	The amount you need to contribute each month to hit the target date
Monthly average	Your average contribution over the past months

Reading the Progress Chart

The progress chart on each goal's detail screen shows your balance over time. Forbidden Finance takes a daily snapshot of each goal's progress, building a history you can review at any time.

The chart includes:

Actual progress line -- Your real balance over time, plotted from daily snapshots.
Target pace line -- A straight line from your starting balance to your target, showing where you should be if contributions were perfectly even.
Gap indicator -- The visual distance between actual progress and target pace. Above the target line means you are ahead of schedule. Below means you are behind.

History Depth by Tier

Tier	History Available
Free	6 months
Starter	12 months
Pro	24 months

When you reach your tier's history limit, the oldest snapshots are no longer displayed. Upgrading your tier expands the visible window. Your goal's current balance and progress percentage are always available regardless of tier.

Projected Completion Date

The projected completion date uses your recent contribution pattern to estimate when you will reach the target. It is recalculated regularly based on:

Your average monthly contribution over the past 3 months
Your current balance
Your remaining target amount

Example: Your goal is $10,000 with a target date of December 1. Your current balance is $4,000. Over the past 3 months, you have averaged $600/month in contributions. At that pace, you will reach $10,000 in 10 months, which is January -- one month after your target date. The projected completion date shows January, and the goal flags that you are behind pace.

To get back on track, you would need to increase your monthly contribution to approximately $750 ($6,000 remaining / 8 months left).

Required Monthly Contribution

This number answers: "How much do I need to contribute each month from now until my target date to reach the goal?"

It recalculates as time passes and contributions are made. At the beginning, it is simply (target - starting balance) / months remaining. As you contribute more or less than planned, the number adjusts.

If your actual contributions consistently exceed the required amount, the projected completion date moves earlier. If they fall short, the required amount increases (since there are fewer months remaining to make up the difference).

Tips

Check your projected completion date monthly. Small deviations compound over time -- catching a shortfall early makes it easy to correct with a small adjustment.

Use the progress chart to spot patterns. Many people contribute more in some months than others. If you see consistent dips (like during holiday months), plan for them by contributing extra in the months before.

The projected completion date is based on recent averages, not a guarantee. A few months of lower contributions can push the projection out significantly. Treat it as a signal to adjust, not a prediction.