Calculate your total maternity and paternity leave income. See paid leave earnings, monthly income during leave, and income gap planning.
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From employer + state program combined
Percentage of normal salary (50-100%)
Additional unpaid leave under FMLA
A Chicago-area couple, combined income $98,000, are stress-testing a financial decision — whether to pay off a $14,000 car loan early or redirect that cash into a 401(k) match they're currently leaving on the table.
Takeaway: Run this with your specific loan rate and employer match. The crossover point shifts when the loan rate exceeds ~8% or the match is partial. Use the calculator above with your own inputs.
Most investment calculators default to 6-8% annual returns based on historical S&P 500 averages. Actual returns vary significantly by decade — the 2000s delivered near-zero real returns for 10 years. Run scenarios at 4% and 10% to bound your estimate.
A calculator showing you'll have $1.2M in 30 years is in nominal dollars. At 3% inflation, that's worth ~$495K in today's purchasing power. Look for a "real return" or "inflation-adjusted" option, or subtract 2-3% from the assumed growth rate manually.
If your investment account is taxable (not IRA/401k), dividends and capital gains distributions reduce compounding each year. After-tax returns in a taxable account typically run 0.5-1.5% below pre-tax figures depending on turnover and your bracket.
A 1% annual fund fee on a 30-year $500/month investment compounding at 7% costs roughly $170,000 in foregone growth vs. a 0.05% index fund. Always input your actual expense ratio — not zero.
Some calculators only model federal tax rates. Nine states have no income tax; others tax retirement distributions, Social Security, or capital gains differently than federal rules. The state-level difference can swing after-tax results by 3-9% of gross.
State Tax CalculatorBased on your inputs
| Weekly Salary (normal) | $1,538 |
|---|---|
| Monthly Salary (normal) | $6,667 |
| Total Paid Leave Income | $12,308 |
| Monthly Income During Leave | $6,662 |
| Total Leave Duration | 2.8 months |
| Income Gap (unpaid + partial pay) | $6,154 |
| FMLA Job Protection | 12 weeks |
Planning Notes
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Maternity leave is the period of time off work following childbirth or adoption. Paternity leave is time off for the non-birthing parent (typically the father or same-sex partner)."Parental leave" is the gender-neutral term covering both. The United States provides leave protection and some pay through three overlapping systems: (1) Federal: Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which guarantees 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave. (2) State: 8 states plus D.C. offer paid family leave programs, providing 4-12 weeks of paid leave. (3) Employer: Many companies offer additional paid leave on top of FMLA (6-16 weeks is common for larger employers).
The Family and Medical Leave Act (1993) applies to employers with 50+ employees and covers employees who have worked there at least 1 year and worked 1,250 hours in that year. FMLA provides 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for birth, adoption, serious illness of family member, or military family needs."Job-protected" means your employer cannot fire you for taking FMLA leave and must hold your job or an equivalent position. During FMLA, your health insurance typically continues (you may pay your normal premiums). FMLA does not provide income, only protection.
Eight states and Washington D.C. now offer paid family leave (PFL) programs, funded by employee and/or employer payroll taxes: California (8 weeks, 60-70% pay), New Jersey (6 weeks, 67% pay), New York (10 weeks, 67% pay), Rhode Island (4 weeks, 60% pay), Washington (12 weeks, 90% pay), Massachusetts (8 weeks, 80% pay), Connecticut (6 weeks, 60% pay), Maryland (6 weeks, 90% pay), Washington D.C. (8 weeks, 90% pay). These programs run 4-12 weeks and replace 55-90% of wages. Eligibility usually requires working for a covered employer for at least 12 months. Most programs are funded by small payroll deductions (0.1-0.6% of wages).
Many employers offer additional paid leave beyond FMLA and state programs. Federal employees get 12 weeks paid leave. Large tech companies (Google, Facebook, Apple) offer 20+ weeks paid to birthing parents and 15+ weeks to non-birthing parents. Most mid-size and large employers offer 6-12 weeks paid. Small employers often offer nothing beyond FMLA (12 weeks unpaid). Self-employed and gig workers: FMLA and state programs don't apply; you're responsible for 100% of income replacement.
Total leave typically breaks down as: Paid leave weeks (employer + state program) × weekly salary × pay rate % = total paid leave income. For example: 10 weeks paid (6 employer + 8 CA state = partial overlap) × $1,500/week × 70% = ~$10,500 paid during leave. Plus 2 weeks unpaid under FMLA (if not overlapped by paid programs). During unpaid weeks, you receive no income from the employer (though you may qualify for disability benefits, see below).
If your paid leave replaces 70% of normal wages, you have a 30% income gap during leave. For a $4,000/month normal income and 12 weeks (2.8 months) at 70% pay: normal income for period = $11,200, actual income = $7,840, gap = $3,360. This gap must be covered by savings, spouse income, or benefits (see disability, below). Planning ahead: if you need $3,360 over 2.8 months, save $1,200+/month starting 12 months before leave. Alternatively, stock up on paid time off (vacation) before leave begins, then use it during unpaid leave periods.
Some states (CA, NJ, NY, RI) offer short-term disability (STD) or temporary disability insurance (TDI) that may cover 4-6 weeks of leave at partial income replacement (typically 50-67%). This can overlap with paid family leave for extra income, or extend unpaid FMLA leave with partial pay. Federal employees can use sick leave and annual leave (federal employees accrue 4.6 hours/pay period, ~240 hours/year). Self-employed: short-term disability insurance (1-3% of income) covers partial leave income.
Both parents may be eligible for leave. FMLA covers both birthing and non-birthing parents equally (12 weeks each). State paid family leave programs also cover both parents equally (in most states). However, some employers offer different amounts to birthing vs. non-birthing parents (e.g., 16 weeks for birthing parent, 8 weeks for partner). Check your employer policy. If both parents work, stagger leave for more continuous coverage (e.g., parent 1 takes 6 months, parent 2 takes 6 months, for 1 year total parental presence).
Upon return, your income returns to full normal salary. Any gap in 401(k) matching resumes, and benefits return to normal. Some employers allow gradual return (4-day weeks for first month) or remote work initially. Childcare costs average $1,000-2,000/month depending on age and location. Budgeting should include additional childcare expenses after return to work.
The Family and Medical Leave Act guarantees 12 weeks of job-protected leave for qualifying events (birth, adoption, serious illness). FMLA is unpaid, but some employers provide paid leave on top of FMLA protection. Many states now offer separate paid family leave programs.
Paid leave is time off while still receiving your regular salary (100% of wages). Unpaid leave provides job protection but no income. Some employers provide partial-pay options (e.g., 50-80% of salary during leave).
Yes, typically. Health insurance, 401(k) matching, pension accrual, and vacation accrual usually continue during paid leave. During unpaid leave, health benefits typically continue (you may pay premiums), but 401(k) matching often pauses.
Income gap is the difference between your normal monthly pay and your leave pay. If you earn $5,000/month normally but get 60% pay during leave ($3,000), your gap is $2,000/month. A larger gap means more savings are needed before leave.
This depends on your employer policy. Many companies require you to use vacation/PTO days first ("integration"), then provide additional unpaid leave or partial-pay leave. Check with your HR department.
Federal FMLA provides 12 weeks of unpaid protected leave for eligible employees. Some states offer paid family leave ranging from 4-12 weeks. Employer policies vary with some offering 6-16 weeks of paid maternity leave on top of state programs.
Add together your employer's paid leave benefit, state paid family leave payments typically at 60-90% of salary, any short-term disability payments at 60-70% of salary, and any PTO or sick days you plan to use during your leave period.
Yes, most short-term disability policies cover childbirth. Typical benefits are 60-70% of salary for 6 weeks after vaginal delivery or 8 weeks after cesarean section. You may want to have the policy in place before becoming pregnant for coverage to apply.
FMLA is federal law providing 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave for employers with 50 or more employees. Paid family leave is a state program providing partial wage replacement during leave. You can use both simultaneously where available.
Save 3-6 months of essential expenses to cover any unpaid portion of your leave. Calculate the gap between your normal income and expected leave benefits. If you earn $5,000 monthly and leave benefits cover $3,000, save at least $2,000 per unpaid month.
Total Paid Leave Income = Paid Weeks × (Annual Salary / 52) × Pay Rate %
Income Gap = (Paid + Unpaid Weeks) × Weekly Salary - Total Paid Leave Income
Monthly During Leave = Total Paid Income / (Weeks / 4.33)
Every formula on this page traces to a federal agency, central bank, or peer-reviewed institution. We cite the rule-makers, not secondhand blogs.
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Calculations are for educational purposes only. Consult a qualified financial advisor for personalized advice.