A goal is a target with a deadline, backed by a real account. Think of it as an envelope inside that account: you decide how much of the account's money is earmarked for this goal, so progress reflects money that actually exists — not a number you typed.
Creating a goal
Go to Goals and create one
Name, target amount, and (optionally) a target date.
Back it with one account
A dedicated savings account works best. (Each account holds one active goal at a time.)
Choose how the goal tracks
Manual (the default) — you explicitly earmark money to the goal with the Allocate button, and progress is the sum of what you've allocated. Allocating is just a ledger label — no money moves — so one account can hold several purposes without you opening new accounts. Un-allocate any time.
Mirror — the whole backing account balance is the goal's progress. Best when the account exists only for this goal.
Why account-backed matters
Apps that let you type a progress number turn goals into fiction. Wealth Mutant ties every goal to real money in a real account — whether you earmark it (allocate) or mirror the whole balance, the progress bar can't run ahead of money you actually have. Honest numbers are kinder in the long run — they tell you when you're actually safe.
Goals and the bigger picture
- Your emergency fund goal maps directly onto the early Mutation Path levels — Level 2 is one month of essential expenses in a separate account, calculated from your data, not a generic figure. See Understanding the Mutation Path.
- Goal money still counts in your net worth — it's yours; it just has a job.
Adjusting
Targets, dates, and backing accounts can all be edited as life changes. Completing a goal keeps its history; deleting one never touches the money (accounts and transactions are untouched — only the goal wrapper goes).