About RaiseCalculator

RaiseCalculator provides free tools for comparing a pay raise across salary, hourly pay, paycheck frequency, estimated deductions and inflation.

Who is responsible for RaiseCalculator?

Silvano Para is the independent publisher and editor responsible for RaiseCalculator. He is the contact for editorial questions, source corrections and maintenance of the site. Write to [email protected] with an anonymized example or a primary source.

RaiseCalculator does not claim that its content has been reviewed by a licensed accountant, tax preparer or financial adviser. Published tax rules come from the identified official sources; mathematical examples are illustrations, not reports of personal salary negotiations or payroll outcomes.

What these tools help you compare

A percentage alone does not show the amount in each pay period, the effect of a mid-year start or the cash remaining after deductions. The tools separate these questions and expose the assumptions. The 3% example checks a first paycheck split between two rates; the 3.5% example compares recurring base pay with a one-time bonus.

How the calculations work

Calculations run locally in your browser. New shared links encode inputs after the # character; anyone with the link can read them. Older query-string links can appear in server logs. See the privacy policy and methodology.

Pay period conversions use the standard US assumptions: 52 weeks a year, 26 bi-weekly pay periods, 24 semi-monthly, 12 monthly, and 2,080 hours for a 40-hour week. Tax on a raise is calculated marginally — total tax on the new salary minus total tax on the old — because that is the amount the raise actually costs you.

Where the numbers come from

• Federal tax brackets and standard deduction (2026): IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32. Published figures.
• Social Security wage base (2026): $184,500, from the Social Security Administration.
• State income tax estimates use selected flat rates and do not model state deductions, exemptions, local taxes or every state rule. Unsupported states are excluded. The methodology lists these limitations; Georgia uses the updated 4.99% rate in the 2026 employer guide.
• Inflation: CPI-U, all items, not seasonally adjusted, 12 months ending August 2026, from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• Salary budget comparisons use identified Mercer and WorldatWork surveys. Employer budgets and individual raises are different measures.

The methodology and editorial policy explain the sources, assumptions and corrections. The calculations and content in this update were reviewed on October 5, 2026. Tax rules and inflation figures can change; check the date and primary source before relying on an estimate.

What this tool is not

It is not a payroll calculator and not a tax return. It estimates the marginal tax on a raise using standard deductions and published rates; it does not model itemised deductions, tax credits, local income taxes, pre-tax benefits other than a simple percentage deduction, or the way your employer chooses to withhold. Your actual paycheck depends on your W-4 and your employer's payroll settings, and will differ.

Nothing here is tax, legal or financial advice. For decisions that matter, talk to someone licensed to advise you.

Editorial responsibility and contact details updated October 9, 2026. The calculation review date above refers to the published tax and reference calculations.

Corrections

If a figure looks wrong, it may well be — rates change and sources get revised. Corrections are welcome at [email protected], and they get fixed.