diff --git a/src/components/MilestoneTracker.js b/src/components/MilestoneTracker.js
index 6121bd3..dd61855 100644
--- a/src/components/MilestoneTracker.js
+++ b/src/components/MilestoneTracker.js
@@ -268,6 +268,11 @@ export default function MilestoneTracker({ selectedCareer: initialCareer }) {
   const location = useLocation();
   const apiURL = process.env.REACT_APP_API_URL;
 
+  const [interestStrategy, setInterestStrategy] = useState('NONE');  // 'NONE' | 'FLAT' | 'MONTE_CARLO'
+  const [flatAnnualRate, setFlatAnnualRate] = useState(0.06);        // 6% default
+  const [randomRangeMin, setRandomRangeMin] = useState(-0.03);       // -3% monthly
+  const [randomRangeMax, setRandomRangeMax] = useState(0.08);        // 8% monthly
+
   // Basic states
   const [userProfile, setUserProfile] = useState(null);
   const [financialProfile, setFinancialProfile] = useState(null);
@@ -276,9 +281,6 @@ export default function MilestoneTracker({ selectedCareer: initialCareer }) {
   const [selectedCareer, setSelectedCareer] = useState(initialCareer || null);
   const [careerProfileId, setCareerProfileId] = useState(null);
   const [scenarioRow, setScenarioRow] = useState(null);
-  const [aiRisk, setAiRisk] = useState(null);
-  const [aiRiskLoading, setAiRiskLoading] = useState(false);
-  const [aiRiskError, setAiRiskError] = useState(null);
   const [collegeProfile, setCollegeProfile] = useState(null);
 
   const [strippedSocCode, setStrippedSocCode] = useState(null);
@@ -458,81 +460,6 @@ export default function MilestoneTracker({ selectedCareer: initialCareer }) {
     setStrippedSocCode(stripSocCode(found.soc_code));
   }, [scenarioRow, masterCareerRatings]);
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-  // If we have no SOC code or scenarioRow is missing, reset
-  if (!strippedSocCode || !scenarioRow?.career_name) {
-    setAiRisk(null);
-    return;
-  }
-
-  async function fetchAiRisk() {
-    setAiRiskLoading(true);
-    setAiRiskError(null);
-
-    try {
-      // 1) Attempt local DB first
-      const localRes = await fetch(`${apiURL}/ai-risk/${strippedSocCode}`);
-      if (localRes.ok) {
-        const localData = await localRes.json();
-        setAiRisk(localData);
-      } else if (localRes.status === 404) {
-        // 2) If not found => call GPT route
-        // We'll pass minimal data if we don't have job description or tasks
-        const chatPayload = {
-          socCode: strippedSocCode,
-          careerName: scenarioRow.career_name,
-          jobDescription: '', // or optionally fetch from O*NET / tasks
-          tasks: []
-        };
-
-        // POST to your server3 public route
-        const gptRes = await fetch(`${apiURL}/public/ai-risk-analysis`, {
-          method: 'POST',
-          headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
-          body: JSON.stringify(chatPayload),
-        });
-        if (!gptRes.ok) {
-          throw new Error('GPT call failed');
-        }
-        const gptData = await gptRes.json();
-
-        // 3) Store in server2 so we skip GPT next time
-        await fetch(`${apiURL}/ai-risk`, {
-          method: 'POST',
-          headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
-          body: JSON.stringify({
-            socCode: strippedSocCode,
-            careerName: gptData.careerName,
-            jobDescription: gptData.jobDescription,
-            tasks: gptData.tasks,
-            riskLevel: gptData.riskLevel,
-            reasoning: gptData.reasoning,
-          })
-        });
-
-        // 4) Set it in state
-        setAiRisk({
-          socCode: strippedSocCode,
-          careerName: scenarioRow.career_name,
-          riskLevel: gptData.riskLevel,
-          reasoning: gptData.reasoning
-        });
-      } else {
-        // Some other error code
-        throw new Error(`AI Risk fetch error: ${localRes.status}`);
-      }
-    } catch (err) {
-      console.error('Error fetching AI risk =>', err);
-      setAiRiskError('Failed to load AI risk data.');
-      setAiRisk(null);
-    } finally {
-      setAiRiskLoading(false);
-    }
-  }
-
-  fetchAiRisk();
-}, [strippedSocCode, scenarioRow?.career_name, apiURL]);
-
   // 6) Salary
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!strippedSocCode) {
@@ -717,7 +644,13 @@ export default function MilestoneTracker({ selectedCareer: initialCareer }) {
 
         startDate: new Date().toISOString(),
         simulationYears,
-        milestoneImpacts: allImpacts
+        milestoneImpacts: allImpacts,
+
+        interestStrategy,
+        flatAnnualRate,
+        monthlyReturnSamples: [], // or keep an array if you have historical data
+        randomRangeMin,
+        randomRangeMax
       };
 
       const { projectionData: pData, loanPaidOffMonth } =
@@ -739,7 +672,7 @@ export default function MilestoneTracker({ selectedCareer: initialCareer }) {
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!financialProfile || !scenarioRow || !collegeProfile) return;
     buildProjection();
-  }, [financialProfile, scenarioRow, collegeProfile, careerProfileId, apiURL, simulationYears]);
+  }, [financialProfile, scenarioRow, collegeProfile, careerProfileId, apiURL, simulationYears, interestStrategy, flatAnnualRate, randomRangeMin, randomRangeMax]);
 
   // Build chart datasets / annotations
   const milestoneAnnotationLines = {};
@@ -965,34 +898,18 @@ if (aiLoading || clickCount >= DAILY_CLICK_LIMIT) {
                 <h2 className="text-2xl font-bold mb-4">Where Am I Now?</h2>
 
                 {/* 1) Career */}
-                  <div className="bg-white p-4 rounded shadow mb-4 flex flex-col justify-center items-center min-h-[80px]">
+                <div className="bg-white p-4 rounded shadow mb-4 flex flex-col justify-center items-center min-h-[80px]">
+                  <p>
+                    <strong>Current Career:</strong>{' '}
+                    {scenarioRow?.career_name || '(Select a career)'}
+                  </p>
+                  {yearsInCareer && (
                     <p>
-                      <strong>Current Career:</strong>{' '}
-                      {scenarioRow?.career_name || '(Select a career)'}
+                      <strong>Time in this career:</strong> {yearsInCareer}{' '}
+                      {yearsInCareer === '<1' ? 'year' : 'years'}
                     </p>
-                    {yearsInCareer && (
-                      <p>
-                        <strong>Time in this career:</strong> {yearsInCareer}{' '}
-                        {yearsInCareer === '<1' ? 'year' : 'years'}
-                      </p>
-                    )}
-                    
-                    <div className="mt-2">
-                      {aiRiskLoading ? (
-                        <p className="text-sm text-gray-500">Loading AI risk...</p>
-                      ) : aiRiskError ? (
-                        <p className="text-sm text-red-500">{aiRiskError}</p>
-                      ) : aiRisk ? (
-                        <div className="text-sm text-gray-700">
-                          <strong>AI Risk Level:</strong> {aiRisk.riskLevel}
-                          <br />
-                          <em>{aiRisk.reasoning}</em>
-                        </div>
-                      ) : (
-                        <p className="text-sm text-gray-500">No AI risk data available</p>
-                      )}
-                    </div>
-                  </div>
+                  )}
+                </div>
 
       {/* 2) Salary Benchmarks */}
       <div className="flex flex-col md:flex-row gap-4">
@@ -1151,6 +1068,54 @@ if (aiLoading || clickCount >= DAILY_CLICK_LIMIT) {
         authFetch={authFetch}
       />
 
+ {/* (E1) Interest Strategy */}
+        <label className="ml-4 font-medium">Interest Strategy:</label>
+        <select
+          value={interestStrategy}
+          onChange={(e) => setInterestStrategy(e.target.value)}
+          className="border rounded p-1"
+        >
+          <option value="NONE">No Interest</option>
+          <option value="FLAT">Flat Rate</option>
+          <option value="MONTE_CARLO">Monte Carlo</option>
+        </select>
+
+        {/* (E2) If FLAT => show the annual rate */}
+        {interestStrategy === 'FLAT' && (
+          <div className="inline-block ml-4">
+            <label className="mr-1">Annual Rate (%):</label>
+            <input
+              type="number"
+              step="0.01"
+              value={flatAnnualRate}
+              onChange={(e) => setFlatAnnualRate(parseFloatOrZero(e.target.value, 0.06))}
+              className="border rounded p-1 w-20"
+            />
+          </div>
+        )}
+
+        {/* (E3) If MONTE_CARLO => show the random range */}
+        {interestStrategy === 'MONTE_CARLO' && (
+          <div className="inline-block ml-4">
+            <label className="mr-1">Min Return (%):</label>
+            <input
+              type="number"
+              step="0.01"
+              value={randomRangeMin}
+              onChange={(e) => setRandomRangeMin(parseFloatOrZero(e.target.value, -0.03))}
+              className="border rounded p-1 w-20 mr-2"
+            />
+            <label className="mr-1">Max Return (%):</label>
+            <input
+              type="number"
+              step="0.01"
+              value={randomRangeMax}
+              onChange={(e) => setRandomRangeMax(parseFloatOrZero(e.target.value, 0.08))}
+              className="border rounded p-1 w-20"
+            />
+          </div>
+        )}
+        
       {/* 7) AI Next Steps */}
       <div className="bg-white p-4 rounded shadow mt-4">
        <Button onClick={handleAiClick} disabled={aiLoading || clickCount >= DAILY_CLICK_LIMIT}>
diff --git a/src/utils/FinancialProjectionService.js b/src/utils/FinancialProjectionService.js
index b4fcc58..fc3bb81 100644
--- a/src/utils/FinancialProjectionService.js
+++ b/src/utils/FinancialProjectionService.js
@@ -137,10 +137,40 @@ export function simulateFinancialProjection(userProfile) {
     milestoneImpacts = [],
 
     // Simulation duration
-    simulationYears = 20
+    simulationYears = 20,
+
+    interestStrategy = 'NONE', // 'NONE' | 'FLAT' | 'MONTE_CARLO'
+    flatAnnualRate = 0.06,     // 6% default if using FLAT
+    monthlyReturnSamples = [], // if using historical-based random sampling
+    randomRangeMin = -0.03,    // if using a random range approach
+    randomRangeMax = 0.08,
 
   } = userProfile;
 
+
+  /***************************************************
+ * HELPER: Retirement Interest Rate
+ ***************************************************/
+function getMonthlyInterestRate() {
+  // e.g. a switch or if-else:
+  if (interestStrategy === 'NONE') {
+    return 0;
+  } else if (interestStrategy === 'FLAT') {
+    // e.g. 6% annual => 0.5% per month
+    return flatAnnualRate / 12;
+  } else if (interestStrategy === 'MONTE_CARLO') {
+    // if using a random range or historical sample
+    if (monthlyReturnSamples.length > 0) {
+      const idx = Math.floor(Math.random() * monthlyReturnSamples.length);
+      return monthlyReturnSamples[idx];  // already monthly
+    } else {
+      const range = randomRangeMax - randomRangeMin;
+      return randomRangeMin + (Math.random() * range);
+    }
+  }
+  return 0; // fallback
+}
+
   /***************************************************
    * 2) CLAMP THE SCENARIO START TO MONTH-BEGIN
    ***************************************************/
@@ -401,6 +431,10 @@ export function simulateFinancialProjection(userProfile) {
       currentRetirementSavings += retPortion;
     }
 
+    const monthlyReturnRate = getMonthlyInterestRate();
+  if (monthlyReturnRate !== 0) {
+    currentRetirementSavings *= (1 + monthlyReturnRate);
+  }
     const netSavings = netMonthlyIncome - actualExpensesPaid;
 
     // (UPDATED) add inCollege, stillInCollege, loanDeferralUntilGraduation to the result