Raise & Lifestyle Creep Allocator
Most raises quietly turn into lifestyle. A bigger apartment, more dinners out, a nicer car. Plug in your old and new salary and see what the same raise looks like 10 years from now if you spend it, split it, or save most of it.
Raises get taxed at your top rate, which is usually higher than the average rate on your paycheck. That's why the take-home on a raise is usually 5 to 10 points lower.
Spend the raise
0% saved
$0
Projected balance after 10 years
Split it evenly
50% saved
$32,814
Projected balance after 10 years
Save most of it
80% saved
$52,502
Projected balance after 10 years
Projected balance after 10 years
Take-home rates vary by state, filing status, and pre-tax deductions. This is directional, not a payroll estimate. Projections assume a 7% annual return, the long-run historical average for U.S. stocks.
Want to actually stick to this allocation after the raise lands?
Planned watches your spending after a raise and flags the moment you start drifting back into old patterns. The hard part isn't the math; it's the follow-through.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about raises and lifestyle creep, answered plainly.
What if my raise was a one-time bonus, not a recurring increase?
This tool assumes a recurring raise, where extra pay is added every month and grows over time. A one-time bonus is a single lump sum, so the multi-year projections here would overstate what a bonus actually adds. For a one-time amount, use a standard growth calculator.
Where does the 7% return assumption come from?
7% is commonly used as a long-run estimate for U.S. stock returns. Real returns vary year to year and there is no guarantee future returns will match the past. Use this as a directional estimate, not a forecast.
Why is the take-home % on a raise lower than my paycheck?
Your raise gets taxed at your top rate, not the average rate that shows up on your paycheck. The average is held down by lower-rate dollars at the bottom of your income. Raise dollars sit on top, so they are taxed higher. For most people the take-home on a raise lands roughly 5 to 10 points below the take-home on the rest of their paycheck.
What if I got a pay cut instead of a raise?
This tool is built for raises, so the math does not apply. If you are figuring out how to handle a pay cut, the 2-minute Financial Health Quiz on the home page is a better starting point. It can help you decide what to protect first.
Why only three splits? Why not let me pick my own percentage?
Three fixed splits make the cost of lifestyle creep visible at a glance. The point of the tool is the gap between bars, not the precise number for any one split. Three options also keep the chart readable on a phone, where a slider gets fiddly.
Why no state or filing status picker?
Take-home math depends on so many things that a state and filing dropdown would feel more accurate without actually being more accurate. Pre-tax retirement contributions, health insurance, commuter benefits, and itemized deductions all change the answer. A flat take-home % keeps the tool honest about what it can and cannot tell you.