How muchdo you wantto keep?

How this calculator works

Start with the monthly take-home pay you want. We convert that into a yearly figure, then find the pre-tax income required to leave that amount after your estimated tax rate. Business expenses are added on top, because they have to be earned as well as the money you keep.

Time is the other half. We subtract the weeks you take off, multiply by your working hours, then keep only the percentage you expect to bill. Your rate is the revenue you need divided by those billable hours.

What billable percentage means

Billable percentage is the share of working time that can go on an invoice. The rest is still work: proposals, bookkeeping, context switching, waiting on feedback, and keeping the lights on. Many independent workers land somewhere around 50–80%, depending on how they find clients and how much admin they carry.

If you set this number too high, the calculator will suggest a rate that only works on paper. If you set it honestly, the rate may look uncomfortable — which is usually the point.

What this number is not

It is not a market rate, a quote for a specific project, or tax advice. Local demand, your specialty, and what a given client can pay still matter. This is the rate that makes your own numbers hold together.