{
  "slug": "contingency-fee-settlement",
  "title": "Contingency Fee Settlement Calculator",
  "heading": "Settlement Net Payout Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/contingency-fee-settlement",
  "summary": "What you actually keep after attorney fees, costs, and liens.",
  "description": "A gross settlement number is not take-home money. Contingency fees, case costs, and medical liens all come out first, and the order they are deducted changes the result. This shows the net either way.",
  "formula": "Net = gross − (gross × fee%) − case costs − liens, with an option to deduct costs before the fee is calculated.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=contingency-fee-settlement",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "gross",
      "label": "Gross settlement",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 100000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "feePct",
      "label": "Contingency fee",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 33.33,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 50
    },
    {
      "id": "costs",
      "label": "Case costs (filing, experts)",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 6500,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "liens",
      "label": "Medical liens / subrogation",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 12000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "order",
      "label": "Fee calculated on",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "gross",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "gross",
          "label": "Gross settlement"
        },
        {
          "value": "net",
          "label": "Gross minus costs"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "net",
      "label": "Your net payout",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "fee",
      "label": "Attorney fee",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "costs",
      "label": "Case costs deducted",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "liens",
      "label": "Liens paid",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "keepPct",
      "label": "Share of gross you keep",
      "format": "percent",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Gross settlement: 100000 $",
      "Contingency fee: 33.33 %",
      "Case costs (filing, experts): 6500 $",
      "Medical liens / subrogation: 12000 $",
      "Fee calculated on: Gross settlement"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Your net payout: $48,170",
      "Attorney fee: $33,330",
      "Case costs deducted: $6,500",
      "Liens paid: $12,000",
      "Share of gross you keep: 48.2%"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter gross settlement ($).",
      "Enter contingency fee (%).",
      "Enter case costs (filing, experts) ($).",
      "Enter medical liens / subrogation ($).",
      "Enter fee calculated on.",
      "Read your your net payout on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "gross": 60000,
        "feePct": 19.997999999999998,
        "costs": 3900,
        "liens": 7000,
        "order": "gross"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "gross": 100000,
        "feePct": 33.33,
        "costs": 6500,
        "liens": 12000,
        "order": "gross"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "gross": 160000,
        "feePct": 50,
        "costs": 10400,
        "liens": 19000,
        "order": "gross"
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Is the fee usually taken before or after costs?",
      "a": "Both structures exist and the fee agreement controls. Taking the fee on the gross produces a larger fee, so the difference is worth reading closely before signing."
    },
    {
      "q": "Are settlements taxable?",
      "a": "Compensation for physical injury is generally excluded from income in the US, while punitive damages and interest generally are not. This is a math tool, not tax advice — confirm your situation with a tax professional."
    }
  ],
  "related": [],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Contingency Fee Settlement Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/contingency-fee-settlement)"
}