💼 Know What's Really Yours.

Freelance income doesn't have taxes withheld the way a paycheck does, which is why so many freelancers get blindsided at tax time. This calculator gives you a simple, consistent percentage to set aside every time you get paid.

The rule of thumb here is intentionally simple rather than precise — it's meant to be a number you can act on immediately, not a substitute for a real tax projection from an accountant who knows your bracket, state, and deductions.

Business expenses reduce the profit this tax is calculated on, which is why tracking them consistently (software, home office, a portion of internet, mileage) matters even for freelancers who hate bookkeeping — every dollar of legitimate expense is a dollar that isn't taxed.

The habit that actually works: move your set-aside percentage to a separate savings account the same day a client payment clears. If you never see the money as spendable, you'll never be tempted to spend it.

Freelance income is inherently lumpy — a great quarter can be followed by a quiet one. Runway tells you, in plain months, how long your savings would cover you if new client work dried up completely.

This calculator uses your personal monthly expenses on purpose, not a hypothetical “business” budget — for most freelancers, the business and personal finances are the same pool of money, and that's the number that actually determines how much risk you can afford to take.

Runway is also a negotiating tool. A freelancer with six months of runway can afford to walk away from a lowball client or a scope-creeping project; a freelancer with three weeks often can't, and clients can sense the difference.

If your runway is shorter than you'd like, the fastest lever isn't always more income — trimming fixed monthly expenses even slightly extends runway immediately, without waiting on a new contract to land.