Some fields in Kerdora fill themselves in automatically based on data you've already entered elsewhere. These are called derived values. They show up in Goals, Insurance calculators, and Taxes, and they save you from re-entering the same number in multiple places. You can always override them with a custom value if the auto-calculated number doesn't fit a client's situation.
How to Tell If a Field Is Derived
Derived fields have a small icon button at the right edge of the input:
Pencil icon (gray) — The field is in derived mode. Kerdora is calculating this value automatically from other client data. The field is read-only.
Refresh icon (orange) — You've overridden the derived value with a custom number. The field is editable.
If a field doesn't have either icon, it's a standard manual field and always requires you to enter a value yourself.
Switching Between Derived and Manual
To enter a custom value: Click the pencil icon next to the field. The field becomes editable and the icon changes to an orange refresh icon. Type your number.
To revert to the auto-calculated value: Click the orange refresh icon. Kerdora clears your manual entry and recalculates the value from the source data.
There's no confirmation step either way. Click the icon, and it switches instantly.
Where Derived Fields Appear
Goals
Years Until Retirement — Derived from the oldest adult's age (65 minus their current age)
Spending Need — Derived from the client's annual spending data in Profile > Cashflow
Monthly Expenses (Liquidity goal) — Derived from total annual spending divided by 12
Target Amount and Target Savings — Derived from calculator results
Insurance Calculators
Work Years — Derived from the adult's age (65 minus current age)
Total Household Income — Derived from the sum of all income sources across all adults
Personal Income — Derived from an individual adult's income sources
Savings and Investments — Derived from the combined value of bank and investment accounts
Annual Income (Disability) — Derived from wages and self-employment income
Current Net Worth (Liability) — Derived from total net worth
Taxes
W-2 Wages, Self-Employment Income, and Social Security Benefits — Derived per adult from their income data in Profile
Retirement Contributions and HSA Contributions — Derived from existing contribution data
What Happens When Source Data Changes
Derived values update automatically. If you add a new income source in Profile > Cashflow, any derived field that pulls from household income will reflect the new total the next time you view it. You don't need to manually update anything.
This only applies to fields still in derived mode. If you've overridden a field with a custom value, it stays at your manual entry regardless of what changes in the source data.
Why a Field Might Show a Number You Didn't Expect
If a derived field shows a value that seems wrong, it's almost always because the source data is different from what you expect. Here are the most common reasons:
Missing data — A derived field that pulls from income will show $0 if no income has been entered yet. Add income in Profile > Cashflow and the derived value updates.
Data entered in a different place — Kerdora pulls from specific locations. For example, "Savings and Investments" in the life insurance calculator pulls from bank accounts and investment accounts only, not retirement accounts.
Stale manual override — If you previously entered a custom value, the field won't update when the underlying data changes. Click the orange refresh icon to switch back to derived mode and pick up the current calculation.
Age-based calculations — Fields like "Years Until Retirement" depend on the adult's date of birth. If the date of birth is missing or incorrect in Profile > Household, the derived value will be off.
When in doubt, click the orange refresh icon to revert a field to its derived value. This forces Kerdora to recalculate from the latest source data. If the recalculated number still looks wrong, check the source data it's pulling from (usually somewhere in the Profile tab).