PM Decoders

Decode HOA covenants (CC&Rs) and the fee structure before you buy into them. Use when someone asks 'what do these HOA rules actually mean', 'decode these CC&Rs', 'is this HOA going to be a problem', or 'what should I check before buying in an HOA'. Produces a restriction decode ranked by lifestyle impact, special-assessment exposure analysis, enforcement and fine mechanics, and the exact records to request before buying.

Decode a terms of service or privacy policy into what you're actually agreeing to, ranked by real-world impact. Use when someone asks 'what am I agreeing to', 'decode this privacy policy', 'is this ToS bad', or 'should I click accept'. Produces a ranked findings table with a 'should I care?' verdict per finding, covering data resale, arbitration and class-action waivers, unilateral changes, content licenses, and what deletion really means.

Get the five questions that matter before you sign, buy, or agree to anything — the front door to the decoder family, routed by situation. Use when asked what should I ask before signing this, I'm about to buy X what do I check, what questions for the landlord/dealer/contractor/HR, or what am I forgetting. Produces the five highest-leverage questions for the specific situation with why each matters and what a bad answer sounds like, plus the pointer to the full decoder when one exists.

Decode a personal, auto, or mortgage loan offer into what it really costs and where the traps are. Use when someone asks 'is this loan a good deal', 'decode my loan offer', 'what am I signing', or 'what will this mortgage actually cost me'. Produces a total-cost-of-loan number, APR vs advertised-rate reconciliation, ranked red flags (prepayment penalties, junk fees, rate-reset exposure), and the three questions that most change the deal.

Decode a residential lease into plain English and rank the clauses that can hurt you. Use when someone asks 'what am I signing', 'decode my lease', 'is this rental agreement normal', or 'can my landlord really do this'. Produces a clause-by-clause decode table, ranked red flags, break-clause and deposit math, questions to ask before signing, and what's actually negotiable.

Decode an employment benefits package into what it's actually worth and where the fine print bites. Use when someone asks 'is this offer good', 'decode my benefits package', 'what does my equity actually mean', or 'what should I ask HR before signing'. Produces a benefit-by-benefit decode with real dollar values, ranked red flags (vesting cliffs, clawbacks, 'discretionary' bonuses, unlimited-PTO economics), and the questions to ask HR before signing.

Decode a pay stub line by line — every deduction explained, the gross-to-net story, and the errors worth catching. Use when asked to explain my pay stub, why is my paycheck smaller than expected, what are all these deductions, or check my paycheck for mistakes. Produces a line-by-line decode, the gross-to-net waterfall, the error checklist (withholding, benefits, overtime), and the fixes to raise with payroll.

Decode a 401k or workplace retirement plan — the real cost of its funds, the match's fine print, vesting math, and the plan features worth using or avoiding. Use when someone asks 'is my 401k any good', 'decode my 401k plan', 'which funds should I look at', or 'what fees am I paying'. Produces a fee decode in dollars-over-time, match and vesting math, a fund-lineup triage by cost, and the questions for HR or the plan administrator.

Decode a car lease offer — the money factor converted to APR, the cap-cost math, mileage and disposition traps, and what to negotiate. Use when asked to decode my car lease, is this lease deal good, what's a money factor, or review this lease before I sign. Produces the real-numbers decode (money factor → APR, total lease cost), the trap list with dollar exposure, and the negotiation points dealers expect to concede.

Decode a franchise offering before you sign away a decade — the earnings claims and their absence, the territory that is not exclusive, the renewal terms that expire your equity, the mandatory-supplier margins, and the validation calls that reveal what the brochure will not. Use when asked to evaluate a franchise, review an FDD or franchise agreement, is this franchise a good deal, or what to ask existing franchisees. Produces a clause-by-clause decode organised by where the money leaks, the earnings-claim reality check, the validation-call script, and the walk-away list. Not legal or financial advice — a franchise lawyer reviews before any signature.

Decode an insurance claim denial letter — what the cited reason actually means, whether it's commonly overturnable, and the appeal letter that answers it point by point. Use when someone asks 'my insurance claim was denied what do I do', 'decode this denial letter', 'can I appeal this denial', or 'write my insurance appeal'. Produces the denial decode with overturn-likelihood framing, the evidence checklist, the point-by-point appeal letter, and the escalation ladder past the insurer.

Decode an itemized medical bill or EOB into plain English and find the charges worth disputing. Use when someone asks 'why is my medical bill so high', 'decode my hospital bill', 'what is this EOB saying', or 'can I negotiate this bill'. Produces a line-by-line decode, duplicate and unbundling flags, balance-billing red flags, and ready-to-read scripts for requesting an itemized bill, financial assistance, and a negotiation call.

Decode a suspicious message — text, email, call transcript, or DM — against the anatomy of known scam families, with a 🔴🟡🟢 read and the safe next move. Use when someone asks is this a scam, decode this suspicious text, my 'bank' just called me, this job offer seems off, or my parent got a weird message. Produces the verdict with the specific scam-family match, the tells quoted from the message itself, the safe-verification path (never the message's own links or numbers), and the if-you-already-clicked triage.

Decode a veterinary treatment estimate — what each line is for, which items are core vs precautionary, and how to have the options conversation nobody offers you. Use when someone asks 'is this vet estimate reasonable', 'decode my vet's treatment plan', 'do we need all these tests', or 'I can't afford this vet bill what are my options'. Produces a line-by-line decode with core/precautionary/comfort triage, the questions that surface the tiered options vets keep in reserve, and the payment and assistance paths.

Decode a funeral home price list while grieving — the package maths versus the itemised list, the non-declinable basic fee, the upsells that arrive as care, and the direct-cremation benchmark that anchors every other number. Use when asked to compare funeral quotes, is this funeral price fair, what can we decline, or help me read this price list. Produces a line-by-line decode, the decline-safely list, package-versus-itemised maths, questions for the director, and a comparison across homes. Consumer information, not legal advice; disclosure rules are strongest in the US (FTC Funeral Rule).

Decode a home, renters, or auto insurance policy into what's actually covered, what's excluded, and what the payout math really looks like before you need it. Use when someone asks 'what does my insurance actually cover', 'decode my policy', 'is this deductible normal', or 'actual cash value vs replacement cost'. Produces a coverage decode with real payout scenarios, ranked exclusion red flags, the ACV-vs-replacement-cost math, and the questions to ask your agent before renewal.

Decode a home inspection report into what's cosmetic, what's expensive, and what kills deals — with repair-cost ranges and the negotiation list. Use when asked to decode my inspection report, is this inspection bad, what should I ask the seller to fix, or should I walk after inspection. Produces a findings triage (walk-risk / negotiate / cosmetic), cost ranges per item, the ask-the-seller list, and the questions for your inspector before the objection deadline.

Decode a care-home contract before a parent moves in — the fee-escalation clause with no cap, the needs-can-no-longer-be-met eviction trigger, the guarantor line that quietly makes you personally liable, and the after-death charges nobody mentions on the tour. Use when asked to review a care-home or nursing-home contract, what does this admission agreement mean, can they raise the fees, or can they make my parent leave. Produces a clause-by-clause decode ranked by financial and eviction risk, the questions to put in writing before signing, and the negotiate-or-verify list. Pairs with long-term-care-options for choosing the home; this is for the contract. Not legal advice.

Decode a mortgage Closing Disclosure line by line — which fees are real, which are shoppable or junk, and what changed since the Loan Estimate. Use when asked to decode my closing disclosure, review my closing costs, why did my costs go up, or which fees can I negotiate. Produces a section-by-section decode, the Loan-Estimate comparison with tolerance flags, the challenge list with scripts, and the cash-to-close verification.

Decode a timeshare contract before signing — the lifetime cost math, the perpetuity and fee-escalation clauses, the rescission window, and the honest resale reality. Use when asked to review this timeshare, decode my timeshare contract, can I get out of a timeshare, or is this vacation ownership worth it. Produces the true-cost projection, the clause decode with the perpetuity traps flagged, the rescission-window computation, and — for existing owners — the legitimate exit paths vs the exit-scam checklist.

Decode an auto repair estimate — what each line actually is, which items are urgent vs upsell, and the questions that separate a fair shop from a fishing expedition. Use when someone asks 'is this repair quote fair', 'decode my mechanic's estimate', 'do I really need all this', or 'is the shop ripping me off'. Produces a line-by-line decode with urgency triage, parts/labor sanity checks, ranked red flags, and the exact questions to ask the shop before authorizing.

Decode a disability insurance policy or employer LTD plan — own-occupation vs any-occupation, the benefit math after offsets and taxes, and the definitions that decide whether it pays. Use when someone asks 'is my disability insurance any good', 'decode my LTD policy', 'what does own-occupation mean', or 'how much would I actually get'. Produces a definition decode of the clauses that decide claims, the real benefit math after offsets, ranked red flags, and the questions to ask before relying on the coverage.

Decode a home renovation or repair quote — allowances that aren't prices, exclusions that become change orders, payment schedules that shift risk, and what a comparable-bids check should cover. Use when someone asks 'is this contractor quote fair', 'decode this renovation bid', 'what should be in a contractor contract', or 'why do these three bids differ so much'. Produces a section-by-section decode, the allowance and exclusion audit, payment-schedule risk analysis, and the questions that make bids comparable.

Decode a moving company estimate — binding vs non-binding, the weight and cubic-feet games, valuation vs insurance, and the red flags that precede hostage-load stories. Use when someone asks 'is this moving quote legit', 'decode my moving estimate', 'binding vs non-binding estimate', or 'how do I avoid moving scams'. Produces an estimate-type decode with what-you'll-actually-pay scenarios, ranked red flags, the valuation decode, and the questions that separate real movers from brokers.

Decode a wedding vendor contract — venue, photographer, caterer, band — before signing: deposits and their refundability, cancellation and postponement terms, the substitute-performer and force-majeure clauses, and overtime math. Use when someone asks review this venue contract, is this photographer contract normal, what if we have to postpone, or decode this caterer agreement. Produces a clause decode with 🔴🟡🟢 severity, the cancellation-cost timeline, the questions to ask this vendor, and what's actually negotiable.