Investment hypotheticals are imaginary scenarios of portfolio returns. Summaries of theoretical past or future circumstances, they may serve as powerful tools for instruction, in particular we think when the goal is as much to convey how the investment math works as it is to convey the results of that math. Helping folks think through the arithmetic of retirement planning is one such effort for which we think examples of and discussions over such what-ifs can be truly impactful. Starting with the “accumulation” phase of investment, this month’s commentary is the first in a three-part series we’ll pen to illustrate that math.