CareerHigh demand
Commercial Pilot
$70K – $180K
- Time
- 2 yr–4 yr
- College
- Not required
- Route
- Degree/Skills
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (illustrative)
Tools
Life → Money
Describe the life you want. We'll work out what it costs, the income it takes to fund it, and the pathways that can get you there.
Sets the state tax estimate.
Scales everyday spending — not housing, travel or education, which you enter for the place itself. These are planning assumptions, not measured prices.
$/mo
Your monthly rent. Add utilities if you want them counted.
$/mo
Car payment, insurance, fuel or transit.
$/mo
$/mo
$/mo
$/mo
$/mo
$/mo
Each adds the everyday cost below and a Child Tax Credit of up to $2,200 a year, which shrinks above $200,000 of income. Simplified: the credit only reduces income tax you owe (the part paid as a refund is left out) and shrinks in a straight line, so a lower-income family's number may come out a little high.
$/mo
Food, clothes, activities: a month, for each child.
$/mo
For all your children together.
$/mo
School fees, tuition, or saving for college.
Saving and investing are part of what your life costs — not what's left over. They're counted in the income target.
$/yr
How much you want to add per year.
$/mo
$/mo
$/mo
$/yr
Optional. Adds a gap analysis to your result.
Change any of these for this scenario. Your settings are saved with it, so it reopens exactly as it is now; the set's own value stays as the default.
%
How fast prices rise each year. Drives the five-year view. Default 3.0%.
%
How fast your current income rises each year. Default 3.0%.
%
Yearly return on what you invest and save for retirement. Default 7.0%.
%
A flat rate on taxable income, used instead of the estimate for your state. Default 0.0%.
Assumptions used
- Assumption set
- 2026.2
- Tax year
- 2026
- Filing status
- Single (simplified)
- Inflation
- 3.0%
- Income growth
- 3.0%
- Investment return
- 7.0%
- Mortgage rate
- 6.5%
- Child Tax Credit
- $2,200 per child
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Assumptions used
- Assumption set
- 2026.2
- Tax year
- 2026
- Filing status
- Single (simplified)
- Inflation
- 3.0%
- Income growth
- 3.0%
- Investment return
- 7.0%
- Mortgage rate
- 6.5%
- Child Tax Credit
- $2,200 per child
Your annual number
$105,776
Gross income needed to fund this life
- After-tax income needed
- $82,800
- Monthly take-home
- $6,900
- Estimated effective tax rate
- 21.7%
- Monthly lifestyle cost
- $5,200
Educational estimate. Tax figures use simplified single-filer brackets, a flat state rate and, with children, a simplified Child Tax Credit: it only reduces income tax owed (the refundable part is left out) and phases out in a straight line, so a lower-income family's income need may be overstated. Other credits, deductions and local taxes are excluded. Home costs use the assumed mortgage rate over 30 years.
Calculated with assumption set 2026.2.
Where the money goes
Monthly, largest first
- Housing$2,40035%
- Food & groceries$70010%
- Transportation$6509%
- Emergency fund$5007%
- Investing$5007%
- Travel$4006%
- Retirement$4006%
- Health & insurance$3505%
- Entertainment$3004%
- Debt payoff$3004%
- Clothing & fitness$2003%
- Other$2003%
The same life in five years
Prices rising 3.0% a year, investments returning 7.0%
| Year | This life costs | Today's budget buys | Invested so far |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | $82,800 | $82,800 | $0 |
| +1 yr | $85,284 | $80,388 | $11,153$10,828 in today's money |
| +2 yr | $87,843 | $78,047 | $23,113$21,786 in today's money |
| +3 yr | $90,478 | $75,774 | $35,937$32,887 in today's money |
| +4 yr | $93,192 | $73,567 | $49,688$44,147 in today's money |
| +5 yr | $95,988 | $71,424 | $64,434$55,581 in today's money |
“Today's budget buys” is what $82,800 a year is worth after that many years of price rises, if it never goes up. “Invested so far” is your monthly investing and retirement saving with growth.
Your number against a pathway
Pick a career or trade to see its pay beside the income this life needs
Ways to reach your number
Up to five careers, trades and businesses whose pay can plausibly reach this target
- Business
Real Estate Agent
$40K – $150K
- Time
- 3 mo–1 yr
- College
- Not required
- Route
- Degree/Skills
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (illustrative)
- CareerHigh demand
Software Developer
$70K – $130K
- Time
- 1 yr–4 yr
- College
- Not required
- Route
- Degree/Skills
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (illustrative)
- CareerHigh demand
Cybersecurity Analyst
$65K – $120K
- Time
- 1 yr–3 yr
- College
- Not required
- Route
- Degree/Skills
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (illustrative)
- TradeHigh demand
Electrician
$50K – $100K
- Time
- 3 yr–5 yr
- College
- Not required
- Route
- Apprenticeship
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (illustrative)