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How to Use the Break-even Raise Calculator

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What this calculator actually helps you understand

The Break-even Raise calculator exists for investors who want to improve average cost via partial sell. It turns that decision into a repeatable checklist instead of a guess. It works best when average price relevant to future performance. Rather than promising outperformance, it helps you surface the trade-offs described as “Emphasize opportunity cost vs psychological relief.”

Inputs explained (with realistic examples)

  • Account size or risk capital: How much capital you are willing to size from. Use current equity, not a rounded number from memory.
  • Risk per trade: Either a fixed cash amount or a percentage of equity that you can afford to lose if the stop is hit.
  • Entry and stop levels: Your planned fill price and the level where you will exit if wrong. Both should factor in slippage and volatility.

Outputs: how to read the results

  • Recommended position size: How many units you can hold while respecting the risk cap.
  • Cash at risk: The loss you accept if the stop executes as planned.
  • What it does not do: Guarantee returns or outcomes. It simply applies the assumption "Average price relevant to future performance" to your inputs.

Common mistakes people make

  • Using to justify poor entries.
  • Treating the output as a forecast instead of a scenario.
  • Ignoring fees, taxes, or behavior changes that sit outside the model.

When this calculator is genuinely useful

  • When you need a calm way to improve average cost via partial sell without hand-waving.
  • When you want to communicate the rationale behind break-even raise decisions to a partner, advisor, or investment committee.
  • When you need to compare multiple scenarios quickly (best/middle/worst).

When this calculator can mislead you

  • When the core assumption (“Average price relevant to future performance”) clearly does not hold in your situation.
  • When inputs are based on optimistic guesses rather than verifiable numbers.
  • When behavioral factors (sticking with contributions, honoring stops, etc.) matter more than the math.

How this fits into a broader financial decision

Break-even Raise is one slice of the decision. Pair it with qualitative checks: liquidity needs, tax context, counterparties, and diversification. Link it with companion calculators (for example: Emphasize opportunity cost vs psychological relief) so readers see how today’s choice affects the rest of the plan.

Use the calculator

👉 Try the calculator here


Rules

  • Do not treat any scenario as personalized advice.
  • Stay conservative with inputs and double-check assumptions before acting.
  • Avoid country-specific tax or regulatory claims unless you verify them yourself.

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