What numbers do I enter?

Enter your take-home pay on one paycheck, how often you're paid, your monthly bills and minimums, and your yearly income before tax. Optional: add savings, card debt, and any employer 401(k) match under More details. The calculator shows what is free after bills and your next 3 moves in dollars, with links to the matching free tools and sources.

Why does credit card debt change my results?

It follows the FUNDS order for high-interest debt. First build a starter emergency fund of $1,000 or one month of bills, whichever is greater, so the next surprise does not go back on the card. Then get any employer match. Then everything left after bills goes to the balance as an extra payment, with about how many paychecks it takes before interest.

Where do the income bands come from?

The cutoffs come from IRS 2026 limits in Notice 2025-67. Single filers use a Saver's Credit cap of $40,250. Head of household uses a $60,375 Saver's Credit cap and the same Roth MAGI ranges as single filers ($153,000 to under $168,000). Married filing jointly uses $80,500 for the Saver's Credit and $242,000 to under $252,000 for the Roth phase-out.

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What should I do with my paycheck?

Cover bills and minimum payments first, then stop adding to card debt. Build a starter emergency fund, take any employer 401(k) match, and then check your Roth IRA room. Use the free tool to see your next 3 moves in that order.

Priceless TayPublished October 30, 2026

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Your paycheck

Free after bills

$692

$1,800 take-home, $1,108 to bills

Take-home pay on one paycheck

How often you're paid

Monthly bills and minimum payments

Yearly income before tax

Used for the IRS 2026 Roth IRA and Saver's Credit limits and your employer match. Your tax return has the exact figure.

Free after bills, each paycheck

$692

$1,800 take-home minus $1,108 of bills on each paycheck.

Bills and minimums$1,108 (62%)
Build your starter emergency fund$185 (10%)
Fund a Roth IRA$288 (16%)
Give the rest a job$219 (12%)

Take-home on one paycheck$1,800

Save your results

Education only

This is general education. For advice about your situation, talk to a licensed financial adviser.

The details behind your number

Your next 3 money moves

In order. Each one shows its dollars on this paycheck and links to the tool that goes deeper.

Move 1
$185 a paycheck
Build your starter emergency fund
A month of bills in cash keeps a surprise off a card.
$2,400 is one month of bills. $185 a paycheck gets you there in 13 paychecks, about 6 months.
Read: emergency fund, the $400 emergency chart
Open tool
Move 2
$288 a paycheck
Fund a Roth IRA
Your income is under the 2026 Roth IRA limit for your filing status.
$288 a paycheck reaches the $7,500 yearly limit ($8,600 at 50 or older).
Read: Roth IRA
Open tool
Move 3
$219 a paycheck
Give the rest a job
Split what is left between Desires and Stash so every dollar has a job.
$219 a paycheck is left for Desires and Stash.
Open tool

How to stop living paycheck to paycheck walks the cycle when bills or debt keep resetting the month.

Want this done every payday?

Fifecta plans each paycheck with FUNDS and keeps these moves in order for you. It opens to the waitlist first.

Join the Fifecta waitlist

Where this paycheck stands

Bills on each paycheck: $1,108; $2,400 a month over 26 paychecks a year
Free after bills, a year: $18,000
Starter emergency fund: $2,400; One month of bills

Your income range: Full Roth IRA contribution range, Single filer MAGI up to $153,000 (IRS 2026 limit, checked Oct 30, 2026)

What if your bills were lower?

Every dollar cut from monthly bills shows up on every paycheck.

Free after bills at different monthly bills
Monthly bills	Free each paycheck	Free a year
$2,400 (yours)You	$692	$18,000
$2,300 ($100 less)	$738	$19,200
$2,150 ($250 less)	$808	$21,000
$1,900 ($500 less)	$923	$24,000

Formula: Free after bills = take-home on one paycheck minus monthly bills spread over your paychecks (12 months divided by paychecks a year). The starter emergency fund comes first (one month of bills, or $1,000 or one month of bills, whichever is greater, while you carry card debt, over the months you choose), then any employer match (your match percent of yearly income, per paycheck), then, with card debt, the rest goes to the balance; without it, the Roth IRA limit per paycheck ($7,500 a year) if your income is under the 2026 Roth range, and the rest is left for Desires and Stash. Your yearly income sets which 2026 IRS limits apply: the Saver's Credit caps and the Roth IRA income ranges.

Data source: IRS newsroom, 401(k) and IRA limit increases for 2026 (IR-2025-111); IRS Notice 2025-67; IRS, Retirement Savings Contributions Credit (Saver's Credit)

Last checked: October 30, 2026

Your next step

Same numbers, different first step

Two people can get this exact result and need totally different first steps. Your Money Type tells you which one is yours.

Find my Money TypeFree, about 2 minutes

Already know yours?

How It Works

01
Enter your take-home pay on one paycheck, how often you're paid, your monthly bills and minimums, and your yearly income before tax.
02
Optional: add savings, card debt, and any employer 401(k) match under More details.
03
See what is free after bills and your next 3 moves in dollars, with links to the matching free tools and sources.

The 4 Money Types

The Math Is the Same. Your First Step Isn't.

Spenders, Savers, Scramblers, and Strategists each need a different first fix. The free quiz tells you which type you are, so you know what to do with this number.

Find My Money Type

Common questions

: Cover bills and minimum payments first, then stop adding to card debt. Build a starter emergency fund, take any employer 401(k) match, and then check your Roth IRA room. Use the free tool to see your next 3 moves in that order.
: Enter your take-home pay on one paycheck, how often you're paid, your monthly bills and minimums, and your yearly income before tax. Optional: add savings, card debt, and any employer 401(k) match under More details. The calculator shows what is free after bills and your next 3 moves in dollars, with links to the matching free tools and sources.
: It follows the FUNDS order for high-interest debt. First build a starter emergency fund of $1,000 or one month of bills, whichever is greater, so the next surprise does not go back on the card. Then get any employer match. Then everything left after bills goes to the balance as an extra payment, with about how many paychecks it takes before interest.
: The cutoffs come from IRS 2026 limits in Notice 2025-67. Single filers use a Saver's Credit cap of $40,250. Head of household uses a $60,375 Saver's Credit cap and the same Roth MAGI ranges as single filers ($153,000 to under $168,000). Married filing jointly uses $80,500 for the Saver's Credit and $242,000 to under $252,000 for the Roth phase-out.
: This is general education. For advice about your situation, talk to a licensed financial adviser.

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